Karnataka Government Sets Standard Rates for Taxi Services, Including Ola, Uber

The Karnataka Transport Department has mandated a standardized fare structure for city taxis and app-based aggregators like Uber and Ola, effective immediately. The move aims to streamline fares across the state.

Under the new guidelines released on Saturday, both app-based cab aggregators and traditional city taxis must adhere to the revised fare structure, eliminating previous discrepancies between the two categories.

The fare structure categorizes cabs into three classes based on vehicle cost. For vehicles priced at Rs 10 lakh or below, the minimum fare is set at Rs 100 for up to four kilometers, with an additional charge of Rs 24 per kilometer thereafter. Vehicles costing between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 15 lakh have a minimum fare of Rs 115, with a per kilometer charge of Rs 28. For vehicles exceeding Rs 15 lakh in cost, the minimum fare is Rs 130, with Rs 32 per additional kilometer.

The order explicitly prohibits cab aggregators from levying additional charges. Waiting charges are set at Re 1 per minute after the initial five minutes, and app-based aggregators are permitted to collect five percent GST and toll charges from passengers. Additionally, operators can apply a 10 percent surcharge for rides booked between 12 am and 6 am.