COIMBATORE: With the petrol prices hiked yet again, the minimum autorickshaw fare has now gone up to Rs 35, leaving commuters fuming. The minimum fare fixed by the government is just Rs 14.
After a gap of 10 years, in January 2007, the government revised the fare for autorickshaws, fixing it at a minimum of Rs 14 for the first two kilometres and Rs 7 for every additional km. The government fixed a waiting charge of 40 paise for every 5 minutes. For trips between 10pm and 5am, commuters would be charged 25% more than the revised rate.
"But autorickshaw drivers are now charging Rs 35 as a minimum charge and about Rs 10 for every additional km," says K Shyamala, a BPO employee. The auto meters are just show pieces and put to use at all and it is just a show piece.
In spite of state government announcing fixed charges for the trips, the drivers hardly follow the fares and extort more money from the passengers.
"Since the rail overbridge work is going on in the Nanjundapuram Road, there are no bus services or share autos. People have to depend on the autorickshaw to travel from Ramnathapuram Junction," said T Shanmugham, a resident of Sreepathy Nagar in Nanjundapuram.
"However, autorickshaw drivers exploit this situation and demand a minimum of Rs 35 for a distance which is less than two kilometres," he said. The department is regularly taking action against the auto drivers charging extra fares, claims deputy transport commissioner K N Udhayanan.
Without divulging the number of cases booked against the errant drivers, he said that the government is looking into the issue seriously and there will be a solution for the problem immediately.
He added that the public should come forward to complain against drivers charging extra fares.
"We will take action against the drivers if the public supports us and complains against such drivers," he added.
While the enforcing officials claim they are taking stringent actions to curb the problem, the auto unions on the other hand put the blame on the government for such a situation.
Speaking to TOI, P K Sugumaran, district secretary, Coimbatore District Auto Association, CITU, said that the government has not done enough to change the situation, which has forced the drivers to charge more than the fixed rates.
"The economic situation has changed and the drivers cannot charge the same rate fixed by the government," he said, adding that in reality they are forced to take higher rates because of the indecisive stand of the government.
Due to the steady surge in fuel prices and the rise in cost of living, drivers have resorted to an arbitrary increase in fares. There is no surprise that the auto drivers would increase the fares as they have been affected by several factors.
Nearly 20,000 autorickshaws operate in the district. The government should increase the fares, which would only help in changing the mindset of the drivers and boost their living standard, he added. (source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com)