The number of passengers in autos can go up to 6, as seen here at Gorai, or even 8 (including children). Pic/Prajakta Kasale
In Pic: A traffic cop inspects an auto at Bandra station. mid-day had reported how the auto drivers here had put up posters with their own fares displayed. Pic/Anurag Ahire
Your ride in an auto-rickshaw in Mumbai might just cost you more than a flight ticket when counted per-km. Mumbai’s autowallahs seem to be giving the country’s most expensive rides ever. If a Mumbai-Delhi flight on an average costs R3,000 for a 1,150-km distance, which breaks down to about Rs 2.65 per km, Mumbai’s fleecing auto drivers have been charging on an average Rs 100 per km. This is four times higher than the official meter fare of Rs 23 for a minimum distance of 1.5 km
In Pic: mid-day reporters went on a test drive in Malad, where several auto drivers refused to go by meter. Pic/Suraj Pandey
Many auto drivers charge arbitrary fares. Some auto drivers take advantage due to the limited access to particular places like Aksa beach in Malad, which sees a good number of visitors, especially on weekends and in summer vacations
In Pic: The reporter was asked to pay R250 to go from Aksa beach to Malad railway station
Also read: Mid-day Investigation: Mumbai's thieves on three wheels
In Pic: The disciplined queue for autos at Vile Parle station
“We had been facing the problem at Vile Parle and as a solution we got in the traffic police with the help of local citizens/ police mohalla committee members, we started disciplined Auto queue during rush hours. No refusal allowed. I had started this in Vile Parle east before the COVID-19 lockdown and manned it every evening 6 pm-8 pm for six months. It was a huge success and commuters of Andheri east used to alight at Vile Parle and take autos for few bucks more. The then Additional Commissioner of Police (traffic) Pravin Padwal had supported this wholeheartedly hence the success. Since then, Vile Parle east commuters rarely face auto issues,” social activist Dharmesh Jhaveri said
mid-day had highlighted in January how the auto mafia outside Bandra east station had put up their own tariff cards. The posters had rates of share autos from Bandra east station with destinations and locations for the morning and evening with rates hiked in the evening stating traffic jams, etc
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