Members of the Joint Action Committee of Autoworkers Unions observed a fast at Gandhipuram on Wednesday demanding immediate implementation of the meter fare system for autorickshaws.The State Government recently fixed the fare at Rs 25 as minimum for 1.8 km and Rs. 12 for every additional km. However, the trade unions in Coimbatore demanded that the minimum fare for Coimbatore should be fixed at Rs. 30 for 1.5 km and Rs. 15 as additional fare for every km.
The district administration along with Transport Department officials conducted talks with the consumer organisations and autorickshaw workers’ unions. The recommendations were sent to Chennai for the Government to decide. Stating that the fare fixation process was getting delayed, the autorickshaw workers’ union decided to go ahead with the fares fixed by them. The unions also printed fare charts and distributed the same to the autorickshaw drivers. According to P.K. Sugumaran of the Coimbatore Autorickshaw Workers’ Union the fast was to demand the Government to speed up the process of implementing the fare system at the rates sought by the unions.
He also wanted the Government to regulate the operation of share autorickshaws.
