Latest news with #KarnatakaMotorVehiclesRules
The Hindu
29-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Vehicles to Himavad Gopalaswamy Hills in Chamarajanagar district barred for two days
MYSURU Movement of vehicles on the road leading to Himavad Gopalaswamy Hills in Gundlupet taluk of Chamarajanagar district in Karnataka has been been prohibited for two days — on July 29 and 30 — to facilitate emergency repair of the road damaged by landslides. Deputy Commissioner of Chamarajanagar Shilpa Nag, in an order dated July 28, prohibited all types of vehicles on the stretch of road from the forest checkpost at the foothills of Himavad Gopalaswamy Hills to the temple atop the hills on July 29 and 30 to undertake emergency repairs. The road leading to the Himavad Gopalaswamy Hills, which is maintained by the Public Works Department, was damaged in a landslide on July 17 following heavy rains in the area. After the landslide led to the collapse of the retaining wall at chainage at 9.9 km, a tree fell on the road at chainage 8.3 km, and damaged the retaining wall on July 26. On July 28, another landslide occurred at 9.9 km chainage, forming a deep pit on the road, severely affecting vehicular movement. The road is the only way to access Himavad Gopalaswamy temple, situated at the top of the hill within the reserved forest area, which is visited by a large number of devotees. The month of Shravana, which commenced on July 25, brings in a large number of visitors to the temple. A team of officials from the Public Works Department and Forest Department inspected the damaged road, and urged the district administration to prohibit vehicular traffic till the road is repaired. The Deputy Commissioner of Chamarajanagar district, in the interest of public safety and to complete the repair work at the earliest, invoked provisions under Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, and Section 3 of the Karnataka Traffic Control Act, 1960, to prohibit traffic on the road on July 29 and 30.
The Hindu
15-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Auto unions slam ‘unscientific' fare hike, seek ₹40 base fare
A day after the government revised autorickshaw fares in Bengaluru, auto unions termed the hike 'unscientific' and demanded to raise the base fare to ₹40. The new fare structure raises the base fare from ₹30 to ₹36 for the first 2 km. Beyond that, the per-km rate increases from ₹15 to ₹18. The fare revision, announced by the Bengaluru Urban district administration on July 14, is set to take effect from August 1. The revision comes after a gap of five years, but autorickshaw drivers are far from happy. The Auto Rickshaw Drivers' Union (ARDU) has strongly opposed the move, calling it 'unilateral, unscientific, and against due process.' Speaking to The Hindu, T.M. Rudramurthy, general secretary of ARDU, said, 'We have been requesting for fare revision since 2023. The previous Deputy Commissioners had at least held consultations with unions. But the present Deputy Commissioner, G. Jagadeesha, has taken this decision without holding any meeting. We strongly condemn this one-sided move.' The union has written a letter to Mr. Jagadeesha, pointing out what it claims are procedural lapses. 'As per Rule 53 of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules, the Deputy Commissioner is not the chairperson of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA). Despite this, he has issued the order unilaterally. This is not acceptable,' the letter stated. The union is demanding a base fare of ₹40 for the first 2 km and ₹20 for every additional km. It has also called for annual fare revisions, arguing that long gaps between revisions are unfair given the rising cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance. 'A revision every five years is not enough. The cost of living rises every year, and autorickshaw drivers cannot survive without annual fare adjustments,' Mr. Rudramurthy added. Commuters not on board Meanwhile, the fare hike has also drawn flak from commuters, who are already feeling the pinch of rising transportation costs. 'The government has already increased bus and metro fares. Now, with auto fares also going up, it's becoming unaffordable for daily commuters,' said R. Divya, a private company employee in Koramangala. Another commuter, Anil Kumar, who travels regularly between Jayanagar and Infantry road, said, 'Auto fares on aggregator apps are already higher than the government-fixed rates. Now this hike just feels like a formality. We are not seeing any real benefit as passengers.' Annual fare review Traffic and urban mobility experts believe the issue lies not in the fare hike itself but in the lack of regular revisions. Transport expert M.N. Sreehari said, 'Regular fare revisions could help reduce the widespread issue of auto drivers refusing rides in Bengaluru. Many commuters complain about drivers not using the meter. Annual revisions would likely decrease overcharging and improve compliance.' He added that sudden and long-delayed hikes often lead to discontent on all sides, including drivers, commuters, and even aggregators. Aggregator platforms to follow suit Aggregator platforms, including apps like Ola, Namma Yatri, Rapido, and Uber, are expected to update their fare structures in line with the government's revision. A representative of a leading auto aggregator, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, 'We will increase our base fare and per-km charges from August 1, as per the new government directive.'
