Mumbai: After CNG price rise, taxi & rickshaw drivers demand fare hike

Your ride in auto rickshaws and taxis might soon get dearer. The unions of both these modes of transport have demanded fare hike after Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) hiked prices of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by Rs 2.66. This will come into effect from the intervening night between October 1 and October 2.

The black and yellow taxi unions have demanded the minimum fare to be Rs 25 from the existing Rs 22. Similarly, the auto rickshaw union wants the base fare to be Rs 21 from Rs 18. Likewise, the per kilometer fare is expected to go up to Rs 16.50 for taxis from Rs 15 now and to Rs 14 for auto rickshaws from Rs 12.

"Everything right from price of petrol to vehicle insurance has increased. Now, after the CNG price rise, we are left with no other option but to demand a fare hike," said AL Quadros, leader of Mumbai Taximen Union.

At present there are 36,000 black and yellow taxis plying on road. The union claims that due to ongoing metro work at several parts of the city, the taxis are unable to fill up their tanks as it is partially shut at certain times of the day. The insurance on vehicles have also increased and the unions are complaining that with the hike in CNG prices it has become very difficult to sustain their livelihood.

"We have been demanding a fare hike for quite some time. Now, that CNG prices have gone up a fare hike is unavoidable," said Shashank Rao, who is part of Mumbai auto rickshawmen's union.

Meanwhile, MGL has stated that they are going for the price hike due to increase in gas cost, significant dollar appreciation against rupee and increase in transportation cost of gas. "This increase would have a marginal impact of Rs 0.10 per km and Rs 0.13 per km on the per km running costs of autorickshaws and taxis respectively," said a spokesperson for MGL.

The CNG prices will go up by Rs 2.66 per kilogramme which will now take the price to Rs 49.61 per kg. Similarly, the piped natural gas which is supplied to homes will also see a rise by Rs 1.89 per SCM.