[Resolved]  Auto Fare In New Panvel/navi Mumbai — High Charges

Dear Sir,

I detest the arm twisting tactics deployed by auto unions to put undue pressure on RTO to increase the auto fares and then not to decrease them despite a huge fall in petrol prices (inspite of the fact that most of them still ply on CNG and make lame excuses that they have to wait in long queues which is totally baseless). I wonder how the RTO which was so fast in increasing the auto fares when petrol prices were hiked, is now so despondent and slow to react to a price fall in petrol. Some basic facts need to be well understood:

1) Minimum fare is now Rs 13 with Re 1.50 increase for every tick on the meter which culminates into an exorbitant sum. The Re 1.50 hike is more pinching than the minimum fare of Rs 13. How could the RTO sanction this extravagant rate card in August 2008 without even bothering to reckon consumer opinion?

2) Fares were hiked from Rs 9 to Rs 10 to Rs 10.50 to Rs 11 and then to Rs 11.50 in a jiffy; 4 times already before the 5th and final Rs 13. The same speed does not work for a reduction in fares.

3) In Mumbai the minimum fare continues to be Rs 9 and they run on CNG.

4) Auto drivers in Navi Mumbai argue they do not get CNG and hence have to run on petrol which is rubbish as many of them do ply on CNG and still charge Rs 13 which is enormous for a CNG auto. How come the RTO was so diffident in separating fare structure for CNG run and petrol run rickshaws in Navi Mumbai?

5) Each time fares have to be hiked in Navi Mumbai, autos have to go on a strike to pressurize their demand for increasing fares and RTO easily succumbs to it without any resistance. Why??

6) Even consumers need to have a lobby to pressurize their demands and exercise their common rights.

Hope the reluctant higher authorities are hearing this.

I really agree with the matter which Mr. Rajesh has explained. It is very difficult in travelling through rikshaw in New Panvel area. Although the Petrol charges are low. They are not even charging the minimum charge and started overcharging, when we questions them, they all come with dadagiri and reasonlly we feel helpless. I can't understand why the RTO officers dosen't take this matter seriously. I think they are supported with some Plotical party leaders and hence they are not worried.

The concerned authorities should take necessary steps at their earliest.

Sunil

Hi,
I am a regular auto traveller since I have no other option. I just checked on the Navi mumbai RTO website where the minimum has dropped to 11 Rs. Inspite of that the auto rickshaw number MH43 C 7811 charged me the previous rate which was minimum 13 Rs. on pretext of not having a card. This is so unfair to the daily commuters who are helpless at these rickshaw drivers complete dadagiri and nearly threating.

Please take immediate action on such looters. kindly help common people like us.

Thanks.

I really agree with the matter which Mr. Rajesh has explained

Hi,

I am a resident of Kharghar, the so called town of development and more of such stuff like this.
However the basic amenities like a meter system is absent.Its been 3 years now. I was tired and decided to take a rickshaw to my house that is a five minute walk.(Blame the scorching heat).i paid 10 rs to the autowala, as thahts the minimum.they charge.I was taken aback when he said as per the meter it is Rs 13 and I wont take any less.He even told me that he has the card that shows the minimum fair that's 13.Ironically, a place where there is no meter system has a meter card ready all the time.He refused to take money .I refused to pay him any more.I dint pay him anything.Not even the 10 rupee.Maybe I dint do the right thing.

So we shall see a strike soon.You can blame me for that.And no its not about the extra 3 bucks...

I totally agree with Mr. Rajesh and others also. Has anyone even tried to make a complaint against these auto wallaas? Has any action ever been taken? They use the language they want and all kinds of tactics because neither the people nor the RTO or the police take an action against these .
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Situation is no different in other nearby nodes be it Kharghar or Kamothe. To travel a distance of barely 3-4 km., the auto rickshaw charges between Rs.25 to Rs.40, depending on the time of day or night. The rickshaw drivers under august banner of some political stream keep on swindling the hapless passengers.

It is further ridiculous to see no auto rickshaw is ready to move from Belapur to Kharghar (distance of 3 km), on pretext that they are not licenced to venture into outside limits of Belapur. There needs to be coordination amongst the law enforcing agencies. All the RTO's fall under same Department, still there is no organised effort to have a coordinated approach to align with the neighbouring districts.

auto fares — auto fare

Sir/Madam,
on 4/12/2009, i boarded an auto from borivali to Gorai (MH 02 VA 199). normally the fare is 24/25 rupees. the driver of the said auto charged me Rs. 32 and started abusive language. he even siad that his meter is fast and that i am free to make a complain to RTO.
i had no option but to pay as he had created a nauisance. will the RTO look into the matter and help the innocant people of this broadday robbery.
thanks
pawan gupta
[protected]

Hi,
I was travelling at 12:00 am in rickshaw no MH443-C2940 from Vashi station to Moraj residency in Auto rickshaw.
The driver did not hear my instructions and took a long cut. After that he was not even ready to cut down the fare
I ended up succumbing to his demands, as he was calling and discussing with some one on Phone
Pls. let me know where can I put such complaints. These kind of incidents are getting frequent

Yes i do agree, autorikshaw drivers chargr too much in this areas, i had a very bad experiance..

I totally agree with Mr. Rajesh and others also. Has anyone even tried to make a complaint against these auto wallaas? Has any action ever been taken? They use the language they want and all kinds of tactics because neither the people nor the RTO or the police take an action against these .

Hi,
I am a regular auto traveler since I have no other option. I just checked on the Navi Mumbai RTO website where the minimum has dropped to 11 Rs. I am traveling every day From Khanda colony Stop to Sec-04 New Panvel (E) at (3, Megh malhar CHS, Plot No.218/219) Every Auto takes 20Rs Farers In spite of that the auto rickshaw number MH-06 Z 590(Name of Driver-Santosh Pawar) charged me 25 Rs.I Was traveling on 22/04/2010 on Thursday. & they never charged as per Auto meter. on pretext of not having a card. This is so unfair to the daily commuters who are helpless at these rickshaw drivers complete dadagiri and nearly treating.

Please take immediate action on such looters. Kindly help common people like us.

Thanks.
Avinash Suryawanshi
Mo-[protected].

Dear sir
To add to what u said now there are political parties who support these rikshaws which is a problem in itself there should not be any political parties as they create a rukus. worse is now they are charging between Rs 15 to Rs 20. And they say that the fuel prices are up while we know they ply on gas which is at the lowest cost therefore insted of increasing the fare they ought to reduce the fare by a rupee. The best way to take care of such an issue is to increase the bus services and the number of buses to new panvel and kanda colony only 24 # route is now availabel and these rikshaw guys and bus drivers are in union with each other and there are times thes buses dont come. if there are bus services every 15 min then these rikshaw services shall be hit once and for all and then when on the tabel the old rikshaws, the one's without permit, drunk drivers, government servants who double up as drivers and also the policemen who own rikshaws should be stopped because these drivers threthen that the rikshw is owned by some constabel or inspector of the area or that they are some sort of relative which needs to be looked into and stopped.

I also agree with Mr. Rajesh, in Navi Mumbai area like Vashi, Sanpada, Juhi Nagar, Nerul, Sea Wood, some rickshaw driver's are so rude and use very dirty language, I am thinking how the RTO person are allowing them to drive the rickshaw. In Navi Mumbai rickshaw driver ask for half-return from Nerul to Sanpada in Morning or Afternoon timing. RTO has to take Strict/Urgent action for the Rickshaw Driver, otherwise it is impossible for local people to travel by Rickshaw for high increased fare.

In Navi Mumbai political parties also support the rickshaw guys and they never think to increase the bus facility, we local people suffer a lot from both side.

Important points to view is RTO is issuing the Permit and the permit holder give the permit to any guys who is not capable of driving, drunken drivers and have no manners of talking to customer. I request the permit holder to give the permit to good person who are capable of handling & co-ordinating the customer in good manner and I hereby request you to decrease the price fare to Rs.12/-, treat this message as urgent.

Thanks & Rgds

Hemlata Bangera
Nerul.

I really agree with those who have posted in this subject. I live in Khanda Colony and travel by rickshaw daily. Some of them are arrogant and behave rudely making bad name to the lot. Such drivers are charging the passengers as per their whims and fancy. Now, the fares have been increased recently but they do not run the auto on meter. If we ask to put the meter, they will simply deny to take. The fare from Khanda Colony to New Panvel (E) Ayyappa Temple was Rs. 30/- earlier and now they charge Rs. 40/-. In return, the rickshaw taken from other end to Khanda Colony charges only Rs. 30/-. The distance from Sector - 7, Khanda Colony to DMart is hardly less than a kilometer and they charge Rs. 20/-. When a rickshaw is called from the line in front of DMart to Sector - 7, they would say Rs. 25/- or Rs. 30/- at their will. Earlier I used to take an auto From Sector 7, Khanda colony to Kalamboli Highway and they would charge Rs. 30/- and in return at the auto stop drivers will deny to come for the same charge. They offer for Rs. 40 or 50/- or deny to come.

There is no minimum charge in practice. All charges are in denominations of next nearest Rs.5. The per seat fare from Khanda Colony to Khandeshwar station is straight away increased from Rs. 5/- to Rs. 7/- (surprisingly effectedl on a fine morning and no justifications!) and at a time they take 5 people (3 in back and 2 in left & right side of the driver). There is no saftey measures and norms in practice. One of my freinds had met with an accident while travelling by sitting left to the driver. The front wheel of the auto was broken and gave away causing the accident. He suffered a lot by a fracture in his right leg. In case the backseat is alreay occupied with three passengers, and if any lady passenger show her hand to take her, the driver forcefully ask male passenger who sits in backseat to shift to front beside him so that the female can be accomodated in the back seat. Such shiftings makes the male passanger unconfortable and disputes sometime. Such way they do not have any respect to the dignified people. All drivers are not doing this. But in general this is the practice.

There should be some norms and law in force to stop all these menace. Passengers are waiting such changes to happen and trust the RTO will do it in near future.

Thanks

C Unnikrishnan

I quite agree with Mr Unnikrishnan's version towards the auto drivers.
From Khanda Colony to Khandeshwar Rly Stn 5 x 7 = Rs.35/-.
Some times some passengers will get down at the high way and
new passengers will board from the same point. So just imagine
that how much he will earn from a single trip? The authority concerned
should be stopped the front seat ride, considering the passengers
safety.

Vinod Kumar

The same incident always happen with me & my wife on daily basis. Wheneever we take risk from New Panvel (E) railway station always these people charge as per their own price. If we say that the minimum fare is Rs.13 then these people come for fight. Some time there will be no auto & after waiting for longtime. These people always be ready for violant. After 11.30 PM there will be no auto at panvel station till 12.00 night. These is to just charge higher cost from the consumer. There is no solution till date.

Navi mumbai auto rickshaw fare rates are not acceptable at all. The fares should be uniform in both mumbai and navi mumbai (the twin cities). It is frustrating sometimes arguing with the rickshaw drivers. Some drivers dont put the meter, some dont have a proper running meter and so on. We have the following website to check the latest rates and to make complaints
Auto Rickshaw Fare
http://www.rtonavimumbai.org/a_r_fare.aspx
For Comments and compaints
http://www.rtonavimumbai.org/comments.aspx
I am not sure what actions will be taken for the complaints but i think we should still feel free and do the needful.
I just wonder why Common man does not have a Union of his own...since if we consider the govt as the leaders of comman man's union...they are not effective enough.

Yes I agree with this. Share Autos should take only 3 passengers. The drivers also refuse to ply the autos unless 5 persons are taken.
We should use Gandhigiri and offer them Rs 5 per person who sits in front alongside the driver.
The RTO authorities sleep over this where so much risk is involved
Alternatively Six Seater tam-tams should be allowed to ply along with the autos. There is no bus service till date from Khandeshwar station to Khanda Colony/New Panvel East

We all are leaving in fool’s paradise. “RTO - Share a Auto Tariff Board” is installed just outside the Panvel station by RTO where no Auto stands.

RTO, local Politian (Gunda), administrator, Traffic Police are all hand in globe and getting their dues, that is the reason no one is ever seen at such an important location (Panvel).

I yet to see any traffic police, RTO or police staff stationed at peak hours at Panvel station.

I request all to who have contributed to this article please reply and let’s try to unite on one particular day to teach lesson to all Autowalas and approach in person to Panvel RTO.