MMRTA to review fare hikes of auto-rickshaws and taxi's soon

According to sources, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) is to conduct a meeting soon where they are to review the fare hikes of auto-rickshaws and taxi’s in Mumbai.

The general public is already struggling to meet expenses due to the continual rise in fuel prices for the last month. However, for the last couple of years, no decision was taken with regards to the fare hike. Even though during the last meeting of the MMRTA could not finalize the fare hikes, the demand for taxi fares has now be increased from INR 25 instead of INR 22 whereas the prices of rickshaws are said to increase to INR 20 instead of INR 18.

Similarly, the state government had earlier proposed raising the minimum fare of autos from INR 18 to INR 20 and for taxis from INR 22 to INR 25. While a number of unions opposed the hike, several people have threatened to go on strike on Christmas Day, last year, if the hike is not approved. As per reports, even if the hike is sanctioned at the next meeting, the rise in fares may not happen immediately, but from a future date.

The central government back in November 1997 had ordered a limit on the number of rickshaws in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nagpur, Solapur, Nashik and Aurangabad districts. Accordingly, the state government had proposed that licenses would not be issued beyond certain limits. As a result, the number of taxis along with rickshaws was limited. However, in view of the growing number of passengers and demand, it was decided to completely remove the limit on rickshaw-taxi licenses in 2017. As a result, the number of rickshaws in the state, which was 7.5 lakh at that time, has now reached 12 lakhs. The number of rickshaws in Mumbai at that time was 1,00,004, now it is more than two lakhs.