The Delhi government’s transport department on Monday announced that the commuters in the capital will have to pay 35 per cent more from Wednesday for travelling in autorickshaws and taxis. The government said all the 55,000 autorickshaws in the city will have to install a global positioning system (GPS) connected to a call centre within six months. The move is aimed at checking overcharging by drivers.
Delhi transport minister, Arvinder Singh Lovely said autorickshaws will charge Rs 19 from commuters for the first two kilometres and Rs 6.50 for each subsequent kilometre. At present, autorickshaws charge Rs 10 for the first kilometre and Rs 4.50 for each subsequent kilometre.
Meanwhile, taxis, which charged Rs 15 for the first kilometre, will now charge Rs 20 for the same distance and Rs 11 for every kilometre thereafter, as against the current Rs 8.50. However, fares of radio taxis have not been increased.
The new fares for autorickshaws and taxis follow a Rs 5.60 per kg rise in the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) last week and the subsequent demand from unions. “However, there will be no increase in fare rates of DTC and private Blueline buses. The losses to be incurred by the DTC will be borne by the state government,” said officials. The autorickshaw and taxi fares in the capital were last hiked in 2007.
“We took into consideration not only the rise in CNG price, but also the about 70 per cent hike in maintenance and other costs. We are effecting the hike with a rider that the three-wheelers will be consumer-friendly,” said Lovely. In its bid to make auto travel safer, the government said the GPS system will be installed in them within next six months.
“The GPS system will help locate an autorickshaw, connect with the call centre and calculate actual distance covered. The government will charge Rs 1,500 per month for the GPS system. Through the system we will also be able to take an action against errant autorickshaw drivers. In case they are found to switch it off without any reason, they will be fined Rs 2,000,” said a senior transport department official. The notification regarding fare hike is likely to come on Wednesday, after which the new tariff will be implemented, added the officials.