Ghansoli auto drivers don’t ply by meter, demand high fare: residents

Firemen douse the fire which broke out in Imperial Paints and Chemical Company at Rabale MIDC on Wednesday morning. No one was injured in the incident.

Residents of Ghansoli are irked with the exorbitant fares of autorickshaws in the node.

Commuters said that travelling by autorickshaw is a costly affair as autorickshaws prefer plying on fare-sharing basis.

“If a commuter wants to take an autorickshaw, the drivers charge the total fare that they would get from all the five passengers on a fare-sharing basis. If we try to reason with them they refuse to ply,” said Niyati Joshi, 23, a resident of the node.

There are many routes in Ghansoli on which the autorickshaws ply only on fare-sharing basis.

Commuters said that auto drivers find it more profitable because they can pick up passengers on the way.

“Many passengers get down halfway through the journey, and new passengers get on but they pay the fare for the entire distance,” said Anuj Samant, 19, a Ghansoli resident.

Some commuters said that they had complained to the Regional Transport Office but nothing had materialised.

“The RTO conducts a drive to check the prices after commuters complained but the situation goes back to the same in a few days. We don’t feel like complaining again and again,” said Suresh Subramanium, 53, a resident.

Members of auto rickshaw federation said that they have been telling auto drivers to ply by the meter and charge prescribed rates but in some areas they don’t comply.

“Commuters have to file complaints with details of the autorickshaw and the issue will be resolved by the authorities,” said Kasam Mulani, member of autorickshaw Mahasangh, Navi Mumbai.

BACHCHAN KUMAR