“Oru 20 rupees mela pottu kudunga, petrol/diesel rate yellam eriduchu [pay ₹20 above the meter charge, as petrol and diesel rates have shot up]”. This is a refrain that every commuter hears before boarding an autorickshaw or a cab in Chennai.
A middle-class commuter taking these modes of transport to travel 5 km to work was earlier spending ₹7,000 a month. Now, he is spending an additional ₹2,500. Commuters from across Chennai whom The Hindu spoke to said they have been spending an average of ₹2,500 to ₹6,000 more (depending on the distance) in the last four months for inter-city commutes.
