State mulls auto fare revision panel While sharad rao-led union demands `14 as the interim minimum fare, union leader thampy kurien wants it to be `16

State mulls auto fare revision panel

While sharad rao-led union demands `14 as the interim minimum fare, union leader thampy kurien wants it to be `16

Mounting pressure from the auto-rickshaw unions has forced the state transport department to seriously consider the idea of forming a new committee to study their trade, apart from proposing an updated formula for revision of fares. In fact, senior officials of the state transport department are likely to take up the issue at the next meeting of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA). After the Sharad Rao-led union pushed for a committee of this sort recently, union leader Thampy Kurien too echoed the demand on Monday. Similar to Rao’s demands, Kurien has also demanded an interim hike of Rs3 from the existing Rs14 for the minimum distance and Rs8.50 for every kilometre thereafter. This interim hike is to be applicable before the new committee arrives at a decision concerning the updated formula for revising fares. Rao’s demand about interim fare hike is only slightly different. He has demanded Rs16 as minimum fare and Rs9 for every kilometre thereafter. When asked if he was not following Rao’s demands, Kurien insisted there was no correlation. “I have asked for much less and besides, i have not been shifting my position from asking for a Delhi-style or Bangalore-style fares,” said Kurien. Further, Kurien added that the transport commissioner has promised him to take up the proposal along with the idea of allowing advertisements in rickshaws to fund the purchase of costly electronic meters for serious consideration at the policy level. On the issue of installing a fare revision committee, state transport commissioner VN More said decisions about a fare committee can only be taken at the government level, and he could not take them by himself. “They will be taken up for consideration at the MMRTA meeting to be held soon,” confirmed More, adding that the date of this meeting was yet to be fixed but is expected to be held soon.