Karnataka Transport Minister Approves Proposal To Hike Minimum Auto Fare To ₹36

Bengaluru: Auto-rickshaw meter fares in Bengaluru may soon be revised, with the government considering a proposal to hike both the minimum fare and per-kilometre rate. The proposal suggests increasing the minimum fare for the first 1.9 km from ₹30 to ₹36 and the fare for each additional kilometre from ₹15 to ₹18.

Proposal submitted to CM after committee review 

The proposal, submitted by District Collector G. Jagadish, who also serves as the District Transport Authority (DTA), was forwarded to Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, who has agreed to it. The file has now been sent to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for final approval.

Stakeholder consultation and demand for hike 

In March, the DTA consulted various stakeholders, including auto drivers' associations and passengers. While drivers had demanded a ₹40 minimum fare and ₹20 per km, the DTA approved a 20% fare hike instead.

Ban on bike taxis boosted fare hike push 

The recent ban on bike taxis has amplified auto drivers' demands for a fare revision. Drivers had earlier hesitated due to fear of passengers opting for cheaper alternatives like bike taxis, but with those now banned, the pressure to revise auto fares has grown.

98 autos seized for overcharging passengers 

Following the suspension of bike taxis, the Transport Department has intensified action against app-based and other auto services overcharging passengers. On Monday, 98 auto-rickshaws were seized during inspections across the city.

Action taken across Bengaluru RTO zones 

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy had instructed the Commissioner to crack down on overcharging drivers. In response, 22 special inspection teams, two from each of Bengaluru's 11 Regional Transport Offices, conducted citywide checks. Along with the 98 autos seized, cases were filed against 260 more for various violations.

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