State govt forms three-member panel to review autos’ waiting charge

Auto-rickshaw rides in the national capital may become costlier if a three-member committee formed by the Delhi government to review waiting charges of three wheelers agrees to demands of auto unions for a revision.

Delhi Transport Minister Satyendar Jain has directed the committee, comprising senior officers from Transport Department, Delhi Integrated Multi-modal Transit System Limited (DIMTS) and Department of Weights and Measures, to submit its report on revision of the existing waiting charge.

According to a senior government official, auto-rickshaw unions have been demanding revision of waiting charges for long saying these are very nominal.

As per existing fare system, if an auto gets stuck in a traffic congestion and is also asked to wait for more than 16 minutes, a passenger pays the driver around 60 to 80 paisa per minute.

“The Transport Minister has asked the three-member committee to prepare a report on the demand for revision of waiting charge and submit the same as soon as possible,” the government official said.

The Delhi Auto-rickhsaw Sangh has welcomed the government’s move and asked it to immediately 

introduce revised waiting charges in the city.

“There has been no increase in waiting charge for several years. We have been demanding that new waiting charge in traffic jams should be included in actual fare,” said Rajendra Soni, general secretary of Delhi Auto-rickshaw Sangh.