Hyderabad: Auto-rickshaw rides in Hyderabad could get costlier, as the panel appointed by the government has recommended that the minimum fare be raised to Rs 30, said media reports.
The panel has recommended that the minimum fare be raised from Rs 20 to Rs 30 and the fare for each additional kilometre be increased from Rs 11 to Rs 14. If approved, a 3-km ride that currently costs Rs 35.40 would cost Rs 49.60.
The fare revision proposal comes in the wake of auto unions in Telangana threatening to launch an indefinite strike from August 23. However, the strike was called off after Telangana Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar intervened, assuring them of positive action.
The Auto Fare Revision Committee submitted its recommendations to the Telangana government on September 3.
Govt decision soon
The government is likely to take a final call and announce the revised fares in the coming days. The committee has recommended a minimum fare of Rs 30 for the first 1.6 km, followed by Rs 14 for every additional kilometre. It has also proposed a waiting charge of 75 paise per minute.
For journeys in the nighttime, passengers could be charged 1.5 times more than the normal fare between 11 pm and 5 am.
Additional charges would apply for luggage, although small briefcases, handbags, and similar items measuring less than 60 cm × 40 cm would be exempt. The maximum permissible luggage has been proposed at 100 kg.
The proposed revision has come after 12 years since the auto rickshaw fares were last increased on February 14, 2014. If the recommendations are approved, the auto rickshaw journeys would become costlier.
A 3-km ride will rise from Rs 35.40 to Rs 49.60, while a 5-km journey will increase from Rs 57.40 to Rs 77.60.
For a 10-km ride, the fare will go up from Rs 112.40 to Rs 147.60, while a 15-km journey will cost Rs 217.60 instead of the current Rs 167.40. The minimum fare alone will increase by Rs 10, or 50 per cent.
