Get ready to fork out 18.75% more on autorickshaw rides
NEW DELHI: The Transport Department of the Delhi government on Wednesday notified the revision in the auto fare. "@ArvindKejriwal govt fulfils its key promise. Transport Department has notified revision of auto-rickshaw fares. After revision also, auto fares in Delhi to remain lower than other metro cities," Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot tweeted.
On Tuesday, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot asked his department to notify the new fares at the earliest.
The Delhi cabinet, led by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, had approved the revised auto fare structure on March 8 this year. Under the revised fare structure, a passenger will have to pay Rs 25 for the first 1.5 km, Rs 9.5 for each subsequent kilometre and Rs 0.75 per minute for waiting at a traffic junction or moving at a speed of less than 6 kmph.
At present, auto fares cost Rs 25 for the first two kilometers and Rs 8 is added for every km thereafter. The revision will hike the auto fare by 18.75 per cent.
Before the Lok Sabha election, despite approving the new fee structure, the government decided not to make the rates applicable immediately. The new plan needs to be first notified by the transport department and calibration of fare metres in autorickshaws will then begin.
They will be allowed to charge the hiked fare only after getting their metres adjusted. A nine-member government-appointed committee was formed to make recommendations for the fare revision of autorickshaws and other modes of transport.
The committee studied existing rates in Mumbai and also considered the rising fuel and maintenance cost and inflation before finalising the new rates. It was headed by the special commissioner (transport), Anil Banka, and included other senior officials of the transport department as well as the representatives of different Residents Welfare Associations of Delhi and student community.
Earlier, the issue of the notification was delayed after officials objected to it saying that the Lieutenant Governor's approval was needed for the notification.
