Autorickshaw, taxi rides may get dearer in Delhi soon

New Delhi, May 25: Travelling in autos and taxis could become more expensive in Delhi if the government accepts the recommendations of a fare revision committee that has proposed an increase in tariffs.

The Delhi government committee tasked with fare revision for autorickshaws and taxis has recommended a `1 hike per kilometre for threewheelers and a hike of up to 60 per cent in fare of taxis, sources said on Wednesday.

Amid rising fuel prices, the Delhi government had last month set up a committee to revise the fare of autos and taxis. The committee has submitted its report to Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot. The Cabinet will now discuss the recommendations of the report. According to sources, some auto unions had shared their concerns with the committee over the implication of a steep hike in the auto fares.

They contended that a steep rise in auto fares will stiffen their competition with cab aggregators, who offer rides at subsidised rates. “The fare hike for auto-rickshaws had happened in 2019. A section of autorickshaw unions had instead said they be given CNG subsidy instead of hike in fare.

“However, CNG subsidy cannot be provided by the Delhi government,” a source, in the know about the development, said. The current “metre down’ charge for autos is `25, and `9.50 per/km after the first 1.5 kilometre. The night charge imposed between 11 pm and 5 am — is 25 per cent above these rates.

Sources said that the taxi fares were last revised in 2013 and the committee took into consideration the hike in CNG prices over these nine years and the increase in prices of spare parts of the vehicles.