New Delhi:
You will have to shell out more for travelling in autos and taxis in the national Capital with Delhi Government on Tuesday hiking the fares for both modes of transport following increase in CNG prices.
Making the announcement, Transport Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said the minimum fare for autos would be increased from current Rs 10 (first one km) to Rs 19 (for first two kms). Subsequently, per km fare after the first two km will be Rs 6.50, instead of current Rs 4.50.
Lovely said apart from hike in CNG prices, the annual maintenance cost of autos has gone up by 70 per cent in last four years, while the CNG prices have gone by 66 per cent during this period.
The last auto fare hike was affected in 2007. Government has made it mandatory that all the autos will have to install Global Positioning System (GPS) within next six months, failing which permits will be cancelled.
He said government would monitor the autos through GPS and ensure that they run on meters and do not harass commuters.
Lovely said the minimum fare for yellow and black taxis would go up from Rs 15 to Rs 20 for first one km, while the rate will be Rs 11 instead of current Rs 8.50 for subsequent kilometre.
He said government would launch a new non-AC taxi service in which there will be flat rate of Rs 10 per kilometre.
The government's move comes after autorickshaw unions threatened to go on a strike after the Centre decided to hike the CNG rate.
They had been contending that since the price of the natural gas has been hiked five times in the past one year, they need a hike in the fare structure too.
The CNG rate in Delhi has gone up by Rs 5.60 per kg, from Rs 21.90 to Rs 27.50 per kg.
Officials of the Transport Department held a meeting with the auto rickshaw unions to finalise the fare structure. Lovely told them to make sure that auto drivers comply with metres after the fare hike.