Autorickshaw fares likely to go up this month

BENGALURU: After BMTC bus fares were hiked in January, and Metro fares in February, now autorickshaw fares are likely to be hiked in March. A meeting will be held at 11 am on March 12 at the office of the DCP-Traffic (East Division) on Infantry Road to discuss the fare revision.

Auto drivers’ associations had already requested the Bengaluru City district Deputy Commissioner, who is the chairman of the Regional Transport Authority, to increase the metered fares last year, and the association had sought an increase of Rs 5-10 per km. The minimum auto fare in Bengaluru is Rs 30 for the first 2 km, and the association is seeking to increase the minimum fare to Rs 40. A decision will be taken on the fare hike in the March 12 meeting. The last time the auto fares were increased was in 2021.

The auto drivers are demanding a fare hike as auto CNG costs Rs 88 per kg and LPG is Rs. 61 per kg.

Kuldeep Kumar R Jain, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) of Bangalore City East Division (Traffic), will chair the meeting. The secretary of the autorickshaw drivers’ union, officials from Rajajinagar and Jayanagar RTOs, an officer of the Legal Metrology Department, a representative from the Consumer Forum and leaders of all Bengaluru auto associations will participate in the meeting.