Currently, the minimum auto fare for the first 2 km is fixed at ₹30, after which every kilometre is charged ₹15.
Ride-hailing companies have to stop their auto services at the earliest and also not to charge passengers in taxis more than the fare prescribed by the government. The department also warned of legal action if they fail to comply with the order, ET Now has reported citing department’s notice.
The Transport commissioner THM Kumar has said that the licence has been granted to the aggregators to run only taxis and not autos as per the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules, 2016.
“Taxis means a motor cab having a seating capacity not exceeding six passengers, excluding the driver," Kumar said as reported by a TOI.
If autos are being run which means the aggregators are doing violation of the regulations.
L Hemanth Kumar, additional commissioner for transport and secretary, State Transport Authority, said, “They are not supposed to run autorickshaws with a cab-aggregator licence. Aggregator rules are only for cabs. We’ve asked them to stop autorickshaw services through the app and submit a report."
On 6 October, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya highlighted the issue and asked CM and Minister for Transport to take necessary action. In a tweet, he wrote, “Auto rickshaw are backbone of first & last-mile connectivity in Bengaluru. We received many complaints recently regarding tech aggregators charging ₹100 as minimum charge against the fixed limit of ₹30. Requested CM Sri @BSBommai & Sri @sriramulubjp to take necessary action."
As per TOI report, the auto unions in the city are also in the process of launching their own mobile app called Namma Yatri. Autorickshaw Drivers Union will launch the app on 1 November in partnership with Beckn Foundation.
“Our union plans to launch the Namma Yatri app from November 1. We’ll follow the government-fixed fare and collect an additional ₹10 as pick-up charges. We also plan to launch a flat ₹40 fare in 2km radius between Metro stations and residence/office," ARDU president D Rudramurthy told the publication.
