Increase minimum fare to ₹30, demand taxi drivers

Mumbai Amidst the rising price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), the Mumbai Taximen’s Association (MTA), a union of black and yellow taxi owners and drivers, has appealed to the state transport department to revise the fare of metered taxis in the state capital by ₹5.

Further, the association said that it would start charging a minimum fare of ₹30 from June 1 if the price is not revised by the transport authorities.

On April 30, the price of CNG was increased by ₹4 and at present, the cost of a litre in Mumbai is ₹76. The minimum fare of metered taxis is ₹25 and the union has demanded that the fares should be revised to ₹30.

“Considering the steady rise in CNG prices, taxi drivers are incurring a daily loss of ₹200. The transport department is not taking us seriously and if the fares are not revised by May 15, then we will implement new fare structures by June 1,” said Al Quadros, general secretary of Mumbai Taximen’s Association.

Earlier in March 2021, the taxi fares were hiked from ₹22 to ₹25, while the auto rickshaw fares were hiked to ₹21 from ₹18. Back then, the cost of CNG was ₹49.

Quadros said, “Whenever the price of CNG increases by ₹25, the state government is supposed to increase the fare.”

Meanwhile, members of the auto rickshaw unions also maintained that they are following up with the administration for a fare hike. “The price of natural fuel has increased exponentially, and we have already proposed our new formula of revised fares to the transport committee. To date, four meetings have taken place between us and the administration. However, the official acknowledgement of the fare structure is yet to be made,” said Thambi Kurien from Mumbai Rickshawmen’s Association.

“We have demanded that considering the rise in fuel prices, the minimum fare in auto rickshaws be increased to ₹24 from ₹21,” Kurien said.