New auto fare structure likely this week

CHENNAI: After months of suspense, a decision on introducing autorickshaw meters seems in the offing. In a day or two, chief minister J Jayalalithaa is likely to attend a briefing at which a comprehensive report on the issue will be presented. Views of commuters, auto unions and other stakeholders along with suggestions by experts will be considered by her before a new fare structure for autorickshaws is finalised.“The policy will come out in a day or two,” said a senior home department official.
The government has to make an announcement before August 26 when it is to submit an action-taken report to the Supreme Court. The stakeholders — autorickshaw drivers affiliated to various unions, the transport minister, the chief secretary and commuters — have had their say in the matter. There is unanimity that a standard fare structure along with introduction of meters would not only be convenient for passengers but would also automatically mean more patronage for auto drivers.
According to a CITU-affiliated union’s own admission, close to one-fourth of the distance covered by auto drivers in Chennai everyday is dead mileage, which does not earn them anything. “On an average, each driver travels 92km a day. Of this, there is no revenue from 23km. We hope the situation changes once the fares are revised as people will not think much before boarding an auto,” said M S Rajendran, president of the CITU-affiliated auto drivers’ union. “However, people may initially take time to trust our meters and prefer a pre-fixed rate as we have not used meters for close to 15 years now,” he said.
The state government has taken its time to firm up a decision on the issue, so much so that it drew the Supreme Court’s ire. The apex court in its last order observed that the matter was already adjourned thrice as the state kept asking for more time. The petitioner, SV Ramamurthy, had enclosed a series of reports filed by TOI arguing for the need to rationalise auto fares in the city as well as the state since autorickshaws were a mode of public transport used by the common man.
“As a matter of fact, on May 6, 2013, this court was assured that by July 22, 2013 the order dated December 3, 2012 for fixation of the new fares of autorickshaws would be complied with. However, that seems to have not been done so far,” said the bench consisting of Justice RM Lodha and Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla. “Be that as it may, in the interest of justice, we do grant one more opportunity to the respondent — the government of Tamil Nadu to comply with the order dated December 3, 2012 and issue appropriate orders for fixation of the new fares of autorickshaws within four weeks from today,” said the order.