Ola, Uber hike auto rates; TN forms panel after Madras HC nudge

These companies have promised to increase taxi charges by 10-14%, say drivers, attributing the promise to protests they staged.

CHENNAI: While the transport department has yet to revise auto-rickshaw fares as per a Madras High Court order, Ola and Uber silently increased the per-km fare from Rs 12 to Rs 15, and the minimum fare from Rs 25 to Rs 30 more than a month ago, say drivers.

These companies have promised to increase taxi charges by 10-14%, say drivers, attributing the promise to protests they staged. Unlike auto-rickshaws, fares for taxis are not determined by the government as these vehicles are operated on tourist permits and don’t have contract carriage permits.

As per the government-fixed fare for auto-rickshaws — last revised on August 25, 2013 — users are to pay Rs 25 for the first 1.8 km, and Rs 12 for each subsequent km (see infographic). The transport department has formed an auto fare-revision committee to implement the court order. “It is headed by the additional transport commissioner, and will finalise the rates after receiving comments from various stakeholders,” said Transport Commissioner S Natarajan, adding that the fare will be notified after the committee submits its report.

However, the Chennai-based Auto Drivers’ Association isn’t excited about the upcoming fare structure. “Ola and Uber auto drivers collect 250-300% of the prescribed fare during peak hours and go scot-free, but regular drivers collect just Rs 20-30 extra and are penalised for overcharging. What’s the point in the court issuing directions to revise the fare?” asks the association’s working president S Balasubramanian.

As for taxis, the fares remain unregulated, and between 2015 and 2018, the State government refused to interfere in Ola and Uber’s operations, saying there is no legal provision to regulate cab aggregators and call taxis.

In October 2019, the Union government amended 93 clauses in the Central Motor Vehicle Act, which deals with regulation of transport aggregators, among other things. Though the transport department formed a committee to implement the amendments, the provisions for penalties and regulation of aggregators were not implemented in Tamil Nadu.

P Anbazhagan, president of Tamil Nadu Call Taxi Drivers and Owners Association, said, “About 45,000 call taxis were operated in Chennai till 2019, but the numbers have fallen by 50%. To safeguard the interests of 25,000 families, the government should regulate cab services.” Ola and Uber promised that fares would be increased by 10-14%, but haven’t given any more details, he added.

A transport official said, “The proposal to regularise call taxis as per the amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act, 2019 is pending with the government.”