Mangaluru: The Dakshina Kannada Regional Transport Authority (RTA) revised the autorickshaw fare in the district by increasing the minimum charge from the existing Rs 35 for the first 1.5km to Rs 40. The rate for every subsequent kilometre was increased from Rs 17 to Rs 20. The revised fare will be in force from Tuesday, said Darshan HV, chairman, Dakshina Kannada RTA and deputy commissioner.There will be no charge for the first 10 minutes of waiting. Meanwhile, a waiting charge of Rs 5 may be collected for the next 15 minutes. No luggage fee will be charged for baggage weighing up to 20kg. For every additional 20kg, passengers will have to pay Rs 5. During the night, between 10pm and 5am, drivers are allowed to collect one-and-a-half times the fare shown on the meter, the DC stated.A decision to revise the fare was taken based on a consultation meeting organised by the RTA on July 9. During the meeting, various organisations and individuals appealed to the authority to hike the autorickshaw fare in the district considering the increase in prices of CNG, LPG, diesel, spare parts and other expenses.In fact, drivers had demanded an increase in the minimum fare from Rs 35 to Rs 50. However, the authority decided to increase the fare by Rs 5, considering the convenience of the public. The previous revision of autorickshaw fares in Dakshina Kannada was made on Oct 27, 2022.“Increasing the auto fare should not cause inconvenience to the public, and this will lead people to select an alternative public transportation system. Further, this will also lead to a decrease in the income of auto drivers,” the DC noted.The RTA also directed autorickshaw drivers to get the flag meters in their vehicles recalibrated and sealed according to the revised fares. They are also directed to prominently display the new fare structure inside the vehicles.
