A passenger pays the revised auto fare
The fare from my place to JM Road by meter is usually Rs180-190. Confusion over the revised autorickshaw fare, effective from Sept 1, has been compounded by the absence of fare charts with most drivers. Nitin Pawar, general secretary of the Rickshaw Panchayat autorickshaw union, said the RTO had provided 10 copies of the fare chart to different unions. With around 1.45 lakh autorickshaws registered in Pune, commuters fear the confusion could persist.
Also, we have sent the same to different newspapers for publication so that commuters can see the same and autorickshaw drivers too can keep a copy,” Gaikwad said. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Pune | Silver Rate in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Petrol Price in Pune | Diesel Price in Pune | CNG Price in Pune | LPG Price in Pune Stay updated with the latest Pune news.
“The auto driver told me that fares had increased and demanded Rs320. When I asked why he was not operating by the meter, he said it had not been calibrated according to the new fare structure. I then asked for a fare chart, but he said he did not have one. I eventually booked a cab after the argument and paid less,” said the homemaker. However, many drivers said they were yet to receive the charts, making it difficult for them to quote the correct fare. Many drivers are not educated enough to calculate the fare accurately based on the distance travelled,” said an auto driver. Pune regional transport officer Archana Gaikwad said unions had been given the new fare chart for distribution. A Pune RTO official said meter calibration had begun and drivers had been given six months to complete the process. RTO will conduct random checks to verify meter calibration and take action against overcharging and fleecing,” the official said. There are a large number of drivers, so we are working out a systematic way to distribute the charts at the earliest,” he said. Kalyaninagar working professional Ashish Balke said drivers had been demanding substantially higher fares. I eventually agreed to pay Rs160 as I had to travel urgently,” he said. RTO should have mandated that drivers charge the old fares until they receive the revised rate cards,” said Magarpatta resident Madhav Ghatge.
When I asked how he had calculated Rs320, he started explaining some random calculation. The lack of clarity has fuelled arguments, mistrust and allegations of overcharging among commuters. Pune RTO assured last month that autorickshaw drivers would receive hard copies of the revised fare chart, which they could show passengers until meters were recalibrated. “What are we supposed to do? Meter calibration takes time and requires us to visit the RTO. Until then, we are unable to quote the exact fare. “They need to photocopy the same and distribute it. It doesn’t take a lot of time. “Till then, the tariff card can be used to calculate fares. Unions need to ensure that every driver has a copy. “Distribution of fare chart will begin from Wednesday. We are charging drivers Rs25 for a copy. “The fare from my home to my workplace in Vimannagar is a maximum of Rs100. But none could explain how they had arrived at the amount. Getting an aggregator autorickshaw or cab is not always easy. “There is no end to the hassles faced by commuters. With six months given for calibration, drivers could fleece passengers. Download the TOI App.
Pune: For Mohammadwadi resident Shilpa Patedar, a trip from her home to JM Road on Tuesday turned into a frustrating tussle over the autorickshaw fare. On Tuesday, three autorickshaw drivers demanded Rs210, citing the revised fares.
In many cases, drivers are refusing long trips or are forced to charge passengers according to the old fares,” he added. “We have heard that some union office-bearers have been given copies of the fare chart, but we don’t know how these will be distributed.