The Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister Vijay, hiked auto-rickshaw fares after a 13-year hiatus. The revised rates were notified in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette on Tuesday, October 28, under Section 67 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
The fare structure was revised for contract carriage autorickshaws operating in the Chennai Metropolitan Area and other regions of the state, news agency ANI reported.
The state government recently issued an order fixing the minimum fare at ₹50 for the first 1.8 km and ₹25 for every subsequent kilometre, news agency ANI reported, citing the notification issued by the Home Department (Transport-I) under Government Order Manuscript series (G.O. Ms.) No. 366 dated October 27.
The government fixed the Ghat fare at 1.2 times the minimum fare, with a base fare of ₹60, and also fixed the additional Ghat fare at ₹30 per kilometre.
Under the revised rates, night-time fares between 10 pm and 5 am will be 1.5 times the regular fare. A waiting charge of ₹1 per minute has also been prescribed.
The Tamil Nadu government led by CM Vijay increased autorickshaw fares as rates had remained unchanged for 13 years (since 25 August 2013), while drivers faced sharp increases in operating costs.
The previous fares, which were last set in 2013, stood at a minimum of ₹25 for 1.8 km and ₹12 for every additional kilometre.
The latest notification supersedes the Home Department notifications dated August 25, 2013, and October 16, 2014, and directs the State Transport Authority and the concerned Regional Transport Authorities in Tamil Nadu to implement the revised fare structure for contract carriage autorickshaws operating in the Chennai Metropolitan Area and other regions of the state.
In August 2013, a government notification had said, “The Government has decided to revise the rates of fare for contract carriage autorickshaws plying in Chennai Metropolitan area, keeping in view the above representations and accordingly, the Government directs the State Transport Authority to fix the rates of fare for contract carriage autorickshaws plying in Chennai Metropolitan area as Rs.12/- per Km, the minimum fare as Rs.25/- for the first 1.8 Kilometers, the waiting charges as Rs.3.50 for every 5 minutes and the night charges from 11.00 pm to 5.00 am as 50% etc. of the total fare calculated at the above rate.”
Drivers noted that the revision comes after long-standing protests and negotiations by trade unions, including the CITU.
“The hike will help avoid conflicts and unnecessary bargaining between drivers and customers, ensuring a fair price for both,” Suresh Kumar, an auto driver from the Alangulam stand, told PTI Videos.
Drivers pointed out that skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, alongside steep hikes in fuel, RTO fees, and insurance, had severely impacted their livelihoods, making the old meter rates impossible to sustain.
While thanking the TVK-led government for the fare revision, the auto workers urged the administration to regulate the state’s free bus travel scheme for women, citing severe passenger drops and losses to their daily income.
Drivers suggested restricting the free travel scheme to economically weaker sections rather than extending it to high-earning government employees.
Additionally, Kanagavel, district treasurer of the CITU auto union, appealed to the government for an annual subsidy of ₹10,000 for fitness certificate (FC) renewals, drawing a parallel to a ₹15,000 subsidy currently provided to auto drivers in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
The union also requested the state government to issue a Deepavali festival bonus of ₹5,000 per driver through the unorganised workers’ welfare board.
