Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Feb 28: Road transport meeting was held at deputy commissioner’s office on Thursday, February 27 which was chaired by deputy commissioner (DC) Sindhu P Rupesh. Orders were passed enhancing minimum auto rickshaw fare in the city to Rs 30. This revision will be in effect from April 1.

Minimum fare for the first 1.5 km has been fixed at Rs 30. For every km thereafter, meter fare would be Rs 15. Waiting charge for first 15 minute would be free, while for the next 15 minutes, Rs 5 will have to be paid. Luggage charges would be free for the first 20 kg, whereas Rs 5 per kg for every additional luggage weighing more than 20 kilograms. For the period between 10 pm and 5 am, auto rickshaws can charge one and half times the fare.

Auto-rickshaw drivers and owners placed several demands before district road transport authority pertaining to problems faced by them like designated place to park, ban bike taxi and others. They said that auto-rickshaw drivers are in deep trouble after bike taxis were given licence to operate. Bike taxi has been banned in Udupi but no action has been taken so far in Mangaluru, they said.

An RTO official in reply said, “Bike taxis are allowed by the government and this is considered as a business. It is banned in Udupi. In Mangaluru, corporation has the provision to ban bike taxis, but not RTO.”

The auto driver and owners demanded RTO meeting to be conducted every three months. The deputy commissioner assured to do so.

Mangaluru RTO officer Ramakrishna Rai, Puttur RTO officer K Ananda Gowda, ASP Vikram V Amate and ACP Traffic Manjunath Shetty and others were present.