Auto unions hope for fare hike after 13-year wait

CHENNAI: After a 13-year wait for a revision of autorickshaw fares, the All Autorickshaw Trade Union Federation is pinning its hopes on a meeting convened by the transport commissioner on Thursday, with the unions expecting the government to announce a new meter tariff.

The meeting, scheduled at the transport commissioner’s office on August 27, follows consultations held by the transport department with autorickshaw unions, drivers, consumer organisations and officials. The department had also directed regional transport offices to obtain representations from unions and drivers on the proposed fare revision.

Federation coordinator, S Balasubramanian, said, “All major autorickshaw unions have submitted a common proposal of Rs 60 for the first 1.5 km and Rs 30 for every subsequent kilometre.”

They have also sought a waiting charge of Re 1 per minute and a night-time fare of 1.5 times the normal tariff. “The meter fare has remained unchanged for 13 years despite a substantial increase in fuel, maintenance and other operating costs. All the unions have arrived at the same demand after considering the expenses involved in running an autorickshaw,” he added.

He pointed out that the government had earlier convened a tripartite meeting involving unions, consumer organisations and officials after the transport minister indicated that the chief minister wanted the fare issue addressed. The unions had submitted detailed representations covering drivers’ working hours, income, expenditure and vehicle maintenance costs.

The federation has also approached legislators, including MLAs from CPI and CPM, seeking their support for the fare revision. Balasubramanian said that the unions expected the government to take a decision during the ongoing Assembly session.

The second major demand is a clear policy on bike taxis. Balasubramanian said that the government had previously approached the court seeking restrictions on bike taxis, citing passenger safety and the absence of mandatory third-party insurance. “Bike taxis continue to operate through app-based aggregators despite the lack of a regulatory framework. We want the government either to enforce the existing restrictions or regulate the sector by making permits, driver badges, vehicle fitness and third-party insurance mandatory,” he stated.

Transport department had recently seized 52 vehicles allegedly operating as bike taxis and registered cases, he said, but added that enforcement alone would not resolve the issue. The unions have also proposed a government-backed app for autorickshaws to ensure transparent fares and reduce commissions charged by private aggregators.

Balasubramanian ensured that the unions were ready to cooperate with meter-based operations if a realistic tariff was notified and strictly monitored. “Nearly five lakh families depend on autorickshaw driving. The government should recognise this as a livelihood issue and announce the revised fare without further delay,” he appealed.