Mumbai residents will have to pay more to ride in “kaalee-peelee” (black-and-yellow) cabs and auto-rickshaws. The state Transport Department has agreed to increase the minimum taxi and auto-rickshaw charges by Rs. 3 and Rs. 2, respectively from October 1, 2022.
Currently, the minimum charge for taxicabs is Rs 25, and for auto-rickshaws, it is Rs 21. The new minimum tariffs are 28 and 23 rupees, respectively.
The state government approved a modification in the rate for taxis and auto-rickshaws on Friday after receiving approval from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA), according to Anthony Quadros, the head of the Mumbai Taximen’s Union (MTU).
Leader of the Mumbai Autorickshaw Men’s Union Thampy Kurian, who was present at the meeting, reported that officials from the Department of Transportation claimed the MMRTA would accept the decision on Monday and put it into effect on October 1.
Operators of taxis and autorickshaws applauded the choice. While it wasn’t enough, they said it was still beneficial. Ramesh Singh, a 49-year-old taxi driver with 20 years of experience, said, “We were expecting a minimum rise of Rs5, but it’s acceptable. The price of CNG has increased by more than Rs30 over the previous year.
Devendra Yadav, a Santa Cruz auto-rickshaw driver, stated, “It’s fantastic to hear that the minimum fare has finally been revised.”
The last time the prices were hiked was in March 2021 when the minimum fares for taxis and auto-rickshaws were raised from Rs. 22 to Rs. 25 and Rs. 18 to Rs.21. There are around 60,000 taxis and 5,00,000 auto-rickshaws in the Mumbai metropolitan area, some of the taxis are powered by petrol.