End to taxi, auto-rickshaw fare confusion not in sight

Commuters’ present muddle over taxi and auto-rickshaw fares seems likely to continue.

The outdated chips in taxis’ electronic meters ensure that the fares displayed are as per the old structure, but the actual chargeable fare is higher. This situation is likely to be replicated for autorickshaws.

Moreover, considering the paucity of shops that manufacture, verify and install internal circuits (chips) inside the e-meters, and the high costs of re-calibrating them, it appears to be a given that your squabbles with your neighbourhood taxi/rickshaw driver will only escalate.

To compound things, the transport department seems not to have planned the ongoing implementation of e-meters in the city — a surefire route to further confusion.

“I had informed the joint technical committee about the problem of inadequate infrastructure, but it was not taken seriously. The government has simply gone ahead with forcing the drivers to install these meters without understanding related issues,” said Thampy Kurien, general secretary of the Mumbai Rickshawmen’s Union.

There are not more than 15 autos that have been installed with electronic meters. A senior RTO official said, “It is true that the supporting infrastructure does not exist to cater to the number of autos and taxis in the city, but that is the case with any new technology. Give it some time and it will be available,” he said.