'Not educated enough to calculate new rate’: Auto drivers, commuters clash over missing revised fare chart in Pune

PUNE: For Mohammadwadi resident Shilpa Patedar, a trip from her home to JM Road on Tuesday turned into a frustrating tussle over the autorickshaw fare.“The auto driver told me that fares had increased and demanded Rs320. The fare from my place to JM Road by meter is usually Rs180-190. When I asked why he was not operating by the meter, he said it had not been calibrated according to the new fare structure. I then asked for a fare chart, but he said he did not have one. When I asked how he had calculated Rs320, he started explaining some random calculation. I eventually booked a cab after the argument and paid less,” said the homemaker.Confusion over the revised autorickshaw fare, effective from Sept 1, has been compounded by the absence of fare charts with most drivers. The lack of clarity has fuelled arguments, mistrust and allegations of overcharging among commuters.Pune RTO assured last month that autorickshaw drivers would receive hard copies of the revised fare chart, which they could show passengers until meters were recalibrated. However, many drivers said they were yet to receive the charts, making it difficult for them to quote the correct fare.“What are we supposed to do? Meter calibration takes time and requires us to visit the RTO. Until then, we are unable to quote the exact fare. Many drivers are not educated enough to calculate the fare accurately based on the distance travelled,” said an auto driver.“We have heard that some union office-bearers have been given copies of the fare chart, but we don’t know how these will be distributed. In many cases, drivers are refusing long trips or are forced to charge passengers according to the old fares,” he added.Pune regional transport officer Archana Gaikwad said unions had been given the new fare chart for distribution. “They need to photocopy the same and distribute it. It doesn’t take a lot of time. Also, we have sent the same to different newspapers for publication so that commuters can see the same and autorickshaw drivers too can keep a copy,” Gaikwad said.A Pune RTO official said meter calibration had begun and drivers had been given six months to complete the process. “Till then, the tariff card can be used to calculate fares. Unions need to ensure that every driver has a copy. RTO will conduct random checks to verify meter calibration and take action against overcharging and fleecing,” the official said.Nitin Pawar, general secretary of the Rickshaw Panchayat autorickshaw union, said the RTO had provided 10 copies of the fare chart to different unions.“Distribution of fare chart will begin from Wednesday. We are charging drivers Rs25 for a copy. There are a large number of drivers, so we are working out a systematic way to distribute the charts at the earliest,” he said.Kalyaninagar working professional Ashish Balke said drivers had been demanding substantially higher fares. “The fare from my home to my workplace in Vimannagar is a maximum of Rs100. On Tuesday, three autorickshaw drivers demanded Rs210, citing the revised fares. But none could explain how they had arrived at the amount. Getting an aggregator autorickshaw or cab is not always easy. I eventually agreed to pay Rs160 as I had to travel urgently,” he said.With around 1.45 lakh autorickshaws registered in Pune, commuters fear the confusion could persist. “There is no end to the hassles faced by commuters. With six months given for calibration, drivers could fleece passengers. RTO should have mandated that drivers charge the old fares until they receive the revised rate cards,” said Magarpatta resident Madhav Ghatge.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Pune | Silver Rate in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune | Petrol Price in Pune | Diesel Price in Pune | CNG Price in Pune | LPG Price in PuneStay updated with the latest Pune news. Download the TOI App.