By ME Bureau

Autos and taxi fares in Mumbai will rise by a minimum of Re 1 from this weekend—the fifth such hike in the past four years. The Bombay high court on Wednesday rejected Mumbai Grahak Panchayat's plea to defer the fare hike proposed by the Maharashtra government. 

According to the Mumbai Metropolitan Road Transport Authority's proposal, the minimum fare (1.5 km) for autos will rise to Rs 18 from Rs 17 while that for taxis to Rs 22. For every subsequent kilometer, the fares will rise by up to a rupee—for autos to Rs 12.19 a kilometre from Rs 11.33 and for taxis to Rs 14.84 a kilometre from Rs 13.96. 

The hike will hit commuters who hail a taxi at night and those caught in traffic as night charges are up by 25% while waiting charges have gone up by 20 paise per minute to Rs 1.20 for autos and Rs 1.50 for taxis. 

In actual terms, the night fare will rise by a minimum Rs 2 per km, making it expensive to travel late at night by a cab. A minimum three-minute wait at any major signal will add Rs 3.60 extra and Rs 4.50 to auto and taxi fares, respectively. 

However, consumers will have to pay the increased fares only for autos and taxis that have recalibrated their metres to reflect the new fares.  Remarks Suresh Gholpadi, a resident of Chembur, “The autos should not refuse to take us, as now their fares are hiked. The government should also make this compulsory.”