FOR A FARE RIDE

Auto, taxi fare to rise by 2-3 next week

'CM Has Given Nod To Hakim Panel Suggestions On Tariff Hike With Few Changes'

Mumbai: Autorickshaw and taxi fares will rise by Rs 2 to Rs 3 in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai from the first week of October. This means that the basic fare for autos could rise to Rs 15 from Rs 12 while the minimum cab fare could climb to Rs 20 from Rs 17. 
    Highly placed sources confirmed that chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday approved the recommendations of the Hakim Committee on fare hikes, barring a few minor modifications. Chavan told TOI, "We will 
make an official announcement on fare hikes in a couple of days." 
    Sources said that while approving the recommendations and the fare hike formulae devised by former union secretary P M A Hakim, the chief minister has reduced the cost-of-living factor for auto and taxi drivers, and cost of maintenance for both autos and taxis. This, according to experts, will impact the fare hike calculations. The final fare hikes for both autos and taxis therefore could be anywhere in the range of Rs 2 to Rs 3 (Hakim had suggested at least a Rs 3 hike). 
    "The Hakim report had proposed that the cost-of-living factor should be taken as Rs 12,000 per month for drivers. But the CM has recommended that this should not exceed Rs 11,000," a Mantralaya source said. "Besides, annual repairs and maintenance of taxis was estimated by Hakim as Rs 92,000 for one-shift duty and Rs 1.02 lakh for double shift. The CM has approved Rs 70,000 for one shift and Rs 80,000 for two," the source said. Similarly, for autos, the maintenance cost proposed by Hakim was Rs 21,000 for one shift and Rs 25,000 for two. The CM has approved Rs 19,000 for one shift and Rs 22,000 for two. 
    An official order (government resolution) in this connection will be issued by the transport department on Thursday, sources said. It is learnt that the CM has also insisted that every driver compulsorily wear ID cards. The card will bear his name, badge number and photograph. Besides, taxis should flash an e-indicator 'For Hire' on the roof. 
    Taxi and auto union leaders have decided to cooperate with the authorities and there is no likelihood of cabbies or automen going on strike in the first week of October, union sources said. 
    Sources indicated the government has also accepted a minimum fare for 1.5 km instead of 1.6 km at present. Night fare may also be hiked by 5% (from 25% to 30%) while auto fare will be decided once a year, depending on rising costs; tentatively in the first week of May. 
    Commuter rights activist Shirish Deshpande said, "The Mumbai Grahak Panchayat has already written to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan demanding there should not be a single paise hike unless drivers stop refusals and meter tampering. But we have not been called by the CM's office for discussions."UNFAIR TRIP FARE HIKES IN RECENT PAST 
MARCH 2012 
Autos | An interim hike of 1; basic fare rose from 11 to 12 
Taxis | Cabbies too got a 1 hike; fare rose from 16 to 17 plus a 50 paise hike for every subsequent km, from 10 to 10.50 OCTOBER 2011 
Autos | The MMRTA approved of a 50paise hike for autos for every subsequent km from 6.50 to 7 
Taxis | No hike JULY 2010 
Autos | Basic fare rose from 9 to 11; for every subsequent km by 50paise 
Taxis | Basic fare rose from 14 to 16; for every subsequent km from 9 to 10SOME KEY HAKIM COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS 
Basic taxi fare should rise to 20 from 17; autos to 15 from 12 Minimum fare distance in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai may be fixed at 1.5 km (instead of 1.6 km) Fall of the electronic meter should take place for every 100 metres Late-night trips should be fixed at 30% (25%) of permissible fare New formula gives weightage to cost-of-living of drivers in Mumbai. It was calculated at 3,750 per month in July 1996 (old formula). It had now been proposed at 12,000. (But it may been hiked to 10,880) 
Need for more share taxi and auto routes, especially in suburbs 
Recalibration of e-meters should be done within 45 days of fare hike 
Fare revisions should preferably come in on May 1 every year 
All taxis should be fitted with e-meters by August 2013 
    Mumbai Grahak Panchayat 
    has already written to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, demanding that there should not be a single paise hike unless drivers stop refusals and meter tampering 
Shirish Deshpande | 
MUMBAI GRAHAK PANCHAYAT 
The government will lose its credibility if it doesn't hike fares after Ganpati festival. Our drivers have to face rising costs and are living a hand-to-mouth existence. The hikes are a must 
Sharad Rao | AUTO UNION LEADER 
There should not be a single paise hike. The government should first discipline the drivers and then give any hike 
Sunil Mone | COMMUTER RIGHTS ACTIVIST