The announcement on October 16 that auto-rickshaws in Madurai would have to abide by the meter system brought a sigh of relief among residents who are forced to shell out exorbitant sums daily even for short travel.
While the auto drivers were given a 45-day breather to implement the order, a majority of them are not charging metered fare even eight days after the deadline of December 1. “I was forced to pay Rs. 80 from Anna Bus Stand to Simakkal market the other day at 8 p.m. The auto driver cited night time as the reason and overcharged as well, besides not using the meter,” says L. Bhagya, a resident.
Complaints like hers continue despite implementation of the order as most of the autos have meters but are not using them. The Transport Department officials, who launched a crackdown on erring auto drivers from December 1, have collected fines for not having a meter or displaying the fare chart.
Auto drivers and their associations say that while they wholeheartedly welcome the meter-order, there are a number of issues which need to be sorted out.
“We have been appealing to the district administration and transport authorities to raise the minimum fare to Rs. 30. The present Rs.25-minimum fare, which is enforced in a metropolitan city like Chennai, will not work here,” argues R. Deivaraj, general secretary, Madurai Autorickshaw Drivers’ Union, affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
“The main areas of the city fall within a distance of nine km and the population also is less, compared to Chennai. While the common fare chart is implemented across districts, we are asking for a tailor-made district-wise fare chart, taking into account the population and geographical spread,” Mr. Deivaraj says.
As per the revised fares released in early November, the minimum charge is Rs. 25 for the first 1.8 kilometres and Rs. 12 for every additional km. Waiting charge for every five minutes is Rs. 3.50 and Rs. 42 for an hour. The fare chart also specifies that night service between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. will have an additional 50 per cent over the day fare.
“We are ready to use meter and most of us have fixed it in our vehicles,” says M. Pandi, an auto driver at KK Nagar. “A revision of the minimum fares is, however, an absolute necessity since many of us ply only for short distances. Share autos plying with more than the stipulated number of passengers also need to be reined in,” he adds.
Echoing his views, many auto drivers are against transportation of more than six people in share autos, which ply on point-to-point routes. “It is extremely dangerous as 10 to 12 people are stuffed into these autos and made to travel for long distances,” says V.G. Kannan, an auto driver.
A few members of the Vaigai North Area Auto Drivers’ Association have even put up banners on their autos stating that they would implement the meter order, if the number of passengers carried in diesel or share autos is regulated. Concerns are also being raised about the availability of meters. While there are over 14,000 autos plying in the city, RTO officials say that 60 percent of them have meters.
J. Bhaskaran, Regional Transport Officer, Madurai Central, says that over 14,000 revised fare cards have been distributed for mandatory display in auto-rickshaws. “The revised fares have been implemented across districts based on a government order and chances of an increase in minimum fare are less,” he says.
“Over 800 meters are fitted to vehicles on a weekly basis and we are ensuring that new vehicles are sold with meters calibrated as per the revised fares. By the end of December, we hope to see all auto-rickshaws complying with the order,” Mr. Bhaskaran adds.
