CHENNAI: A demand to revise auto fares in the State is slowly moving towards a decision after a 13-year gap, with auto drivers' unions seeking a minimum fare of Rs 60 and a revised fare structure at a Transport Department consultation on Thursday (August 27).
The unions also urged the state government to ban bike taxis and develop a separate government app for auto services.
Auto meter fares have not been revised in the state for 13 years. The unions have held several protests seeking a fare revision.
In 2022, the Madras High Court directed the government to revise meter fares in line with rising prices and monitor them regularly, while ensuring that the revision did not affect the public or drivers.
As part of the latest move, a committee comprising two joint transport commissioners and two deputy transport commissioners held consultations with representatives of various auto drivers' unions at the Transport Commissioner's office in Guindy, Chennai, in two sessions on Thursday.
Representatives who attended included Tamil Nadu Auto Thozhilalar Sammelanam (CITU) state working president S Balasubramaniam, HMS Auto Workers' Union working president M Subramaniam Pillai and AIUTUC Auto Workers' Union state general secretary Mariappan.
Speaking after the meeting, Balasubramaniam said the unions had sought a fare of Rs 60 for the first 1.5 km and Rs 30 for every subsequent kilometre. They also sought a waiting charge of Re 1 per minute and a night-time fare of 1.5 times the normal rate.
"We have also urged the state government to develop a separate government app for auto services and ban bike taxis in Tamil Nadu. We have put forward these three demands and expect announcements on them to be included in the Transport Department's demands for grants," he said.
The Transport Department's demands for grants are scheduled to be taken up in the Assembly on Friday. However, the consultation was held only on Thursday and its report could take a day or two to be prepared.
It remains to be seen whether the auto unions' demands will be included in the demands for grants.