Mumbai: Taxi, Autorickshaw Fare Increased To Be Increased By Rs 3 From March 1

Mumbai, February 23, 2021: Rising fuel prices have now added fuel to inflation. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority on Monday decided to increase the fares of black-and-yellow rickshaws and taxis by at least Rs 3 from March 1.

At present, the fare for a rickshaw is Rs 18 and due to the new fare, it will be Rs 21, while the fare for a taxi will go up from Rs 22 to Rs 25. This increase will be applicable in the areas of Mumbai metropolis where meter rickshaws and taxis run (Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, Kalyan-Dombivali and other areas).

There are more than two lakh rickshaws in Mumbai and up to three and a quarter lakh in Mumbai. The number of black and yellow taxis is around 48,000.

Earlier, rickshaw-taxi fares were hiked in June every year, according to sources in the Hakim Samiti. Passengers had often expressed their displeasure. The government then dismissed the Hakim Samiti and set up a one-member Khatua Samiti. The committee had submitted a 300-page report in October 2017. It then took some time to accept the report. Now some of the recommendations of this committee have been implemented. However, the recommendations related to fare were not implemented.

Considering the average price of vehicles, insurance premium, motor vehicle tax, business tax, consumer index, interest rate on autorickshaw loan, etc., the proposal for fare hike was submitted to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority as per the recommendations of the Khatua Committee. It was approved on Monday.

The new fares will be applicable from March 1, 2021. However, the Department of Transport has given drivers a period of about three months to change the fare of rickshaws and taxis. Until the change, drivers will be able to collect fares from passengers as per the new tariff from March 1, a senior official said.

Fare increase in June every year
As per the recommendation of the Khatua Committee, the fare should be revised once a year on the first of June. It was also decided that fare increase should be implemented if the basic rate per kilometer is increased by 50 paise or more than 50 paise.

BJP demands withdrawal of fare hike
BJP in-charge MLA Atul Bhatkhalkar on Monday warned the government to withdraw the hike in rickshaw and taxi fares. Bhatkhalkar has said that the Thackeray government has imposed a financial burden on ordinary Mumbaikars who are facing financial difficulties due to Corona.