The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) hiked the fares of autos and taxis on Tuesday after the demands of trade unions. The new fares for 1.5 km for auto are hiked by Rs 2 and Rs 3 for taxis, respectively.
In the last 8 years, the fares have increased by Rs 8 for autos and Rs 9 for taxis.
Below is the comparison of 2014 for the auto and taxi fares:
| Year | Auto | Taxi |
| Before 2014 | 15 | 19 |
| 2014 | 17 | 21 |
| 2015 | 18 | 22 |
| 2021 | 21 | 25 |
| 2022 | 23 | 28 |
AL Quadros, leader of the Auto and Taximen Union, said, “Due to political conflict and the upcoming BMC election, this fare hike is temporary.”
“Minister Samant has assured us to revive the fares in next 6 months, as we find the recent hike insufficient,” Quadros further added.
Auto driver Jitendra Sharma from Goregaon said, “The current hike is enough for us. CNG prices have also come down from 86 to 80 rupees. The only issue is that when we stop our auto for 2 minutes to pick up or drop off passengers, the traffic officer takes our picture and sends us a challan, which costs us more than 300 rupees. That is one of the biggest losses for us. “
A resident of Ram Mandir said, “Rs 2 and Rs 3 is not a big hike, but problems occur when we have to go for a long ride.”
Shubham Sharma, a marine engineer of Goregaon, said, “Mumbai lacks good public transportation, and we opt for autos and taxis due to their availability and because they can reach our exact locations. We have no other option other than using autos and taxis.”
Priya Jain, who works as a freelancer from Kandivali said, “A hike of Rs 2 or Rs 3 is not a problem for me, but these sudden hikes are a pinch to pockets for freelancers like me. I mainly go for the autos to avoid the time-consuming travel through public transport. Having an option, I prefer BEST busses.”
Nikhil Waghmare, a law student from Goregaon said, “If prices hike, I will definitely choose a cheaper option like Rapido or something that will cost me less.”
