Ahmedabad residents will now have to pay more for auto-rickshaw travel, as authorities have approved a hike in fares following a steady rise in CNG prices. The revised rates were finalised during a meeting held at the Transport Commissioner’s office in Gandhinagar.
Under the new fare structure, the minimum auto-rickshaw fare has been increased from Rs 20 to Rs 25, while the per-kilometre charge has gone up from Rs 15 to Rs 20. This marks the first fare revision in nearly four years.
The decision was taken unanimously in the presence of the Transport Commissioner, Ahmedabad RTO officials, representatives of various rickshaw drivers’ associations, including the Rickshaw Drivers Welfare Association and Smart City Driver Union, along with other stakeholders. Driver unions had been pressing for a fare revision for a long time, citing mounting operational costs.
According to rickshaw operators, CNG prices have witnessed a sharp increase in recent months. Over the last two months alone, the fuel price has risen by around Rs 6 per kg and is currently nearing Rs 88 per kg. Despite the rising fuel and maintenance costs, auto fares had remained unchanged for several years, putting additional financial strain on drivers.
Earlier, the Rickshaw Drivers’ Unity Union had sought a minimum fare of Rs 50 and a per-kilometre rate of Rs 20. While the demand for the higher per-kilometre charge has been accepted, the minimum fare has been fixed at Rs 25.
Vijay Makwana, president of the Rickshaw Drivers’ Unity Union, said the fare hike would provide much-needed relief to drivers who have been struggling with inflation and increasing fuel expenses. He noted that fares had not been revised for the past four years despite repeated requests from driver associations.
With the revised rates set to come into effect, commuters across Ahmedabad can expect higher auto-rickshaw charges in the coming days.