Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Transporting by an auto-rickshaw has become a severe inconvenience as the common citizens complain that the auto-rickshaw drivers refuse to use the meter and instead demand fixed or exorbitant fares.
It has been observed that auto-rickshaws operating from the areas like railway stations, bus stands, hospital areas, commercial marketplaces and major intersections, refuse to go by meter. This is a common scenario. When passengers insist on meter fare, drivers bluntly respond, ‘Pay this much or find another rickshaw.’
Common excuses given by drivers when asked to go by meter.
– Claims that the meter needs repair, hence refusal to use it.
– Drivers refuse short-distance trips or say they won’t get return fare.
– Rising fuel costs are cited, saying expenses are not covered by meter rates.
– Late-night hours are used as a reason to demand higher fares across the board.
Rickshaw fares higher than bus or train tickets
For some distances, auto-rickshaw fares are being charged higher than bus or railway ticket prices. Even for short distances, demands of ₹100–₹200 are common, increasing passenger anger. Late-night arrivals at railway stations and bus stands are especially vulnerable to such overcharging. With no alternatives available, many passengers end up paying inflated fares helplessly.
Passengers crammed into ‘sharing’ rickshaws
In shared auto-rickshaws, more passengers than permitted capacity are forced in, while charging each passenger the full fare. Safety takes a back seat.
Where to complain
Passengers can lodge complaints about refusal to go by meter or overcharging at the RTO office or by emailing rto.20-mh@gov.in.
Passengers should file complaints
“If a driver refuses to go by meter or charges an excess fare, passengers should lodge a complaint along with the rickshaw number. Action has been taken earlier based on such complaints,” said the regional transport officer (RTO) Vijay Kathole.
Refusal by passengers
“The fare is ₹26 for the first 1.5 km and ₹18 per km thereafter. Ideally, the per-km rate should be ₹20. Most rickshaws have functioning meters. However, it is the passengers who refuse to go by meter and insist on fixing the fare in advance,” claimed the president of Rickshaw Chalak Sangharsh Kruti Samiti, Nisar Ahmed Khan.