Pre-paid counters yet to catch up

Pre-paid counters yet to catch up
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Most autorickshaw drivers in the city were prepared with the revised fare charts that came into effect from Friday.


It was also good business for the street vendors who sold these charts at traffic signals with prices ranging from Rs 3 to Rs 5 for a card and Rs 10 to Rs 15 for a laminated card.

Many of the drivers also seemed opt for these copies or the news paper versions to the one being distributed at the RTO offices.

But some pre-paid auto counters were yet to catch up and asked commuters to pay the new charges upon reaching their destination.

A recce by Deccan Herald on Friday saw cops manning the pre-paid auto counters at various places, including M G Road, Commercial Street, Kempegowda Bus Station and the Railway Station issue challans to commuters without mentioning the fare amount.

Clueless

“We cannot issue challans based on old fares to different parts of the city. So, we have asked commuters to pay according to the metre fare chart issued by the RTO. We have also asked autodrivers to adhere only to the revised chart and not fleece commuters” said the constable at the M G Road counter.

Commuter woes

However, Naveen Kumar, a commuter who arrived from Mysore at the city bus stand said “ There is no problem if one has to pay according to the chart. But few drivers are demanding Rs 100 to go to Banashankari and the cops are helpless” he said.

Shamsher Ahmed, an auto driver on Commercial Street though had a complaint with the revised tariff, “ The new fares will offer us nothing. Prices of auto LPG has again been increased by Rs 1 from Friday. The RTA should stop the hikes in LPG or give us a just fare that will help us break even” he said.

‘Adhere to revised fare’

DCP, Traffic (East) Seemanth Kumar Singh said that it would take a few days to supply a revised fare list to different parts of the city in consultation with the RTA since the hike had come in effect from February 1. “Commuters should insist for the fare chart and pay only according to it. Instances of over charging should be reported to the police” he said.

However Syed Shafi Ahmed, Secretary, RTA added that cops at the pre-paid counters can add the revised fare to the amount fixed for different places as per the km charges fixed by the RTA. He also said “All autos should recaliberate their meters within the stipulated time frame.”

Officials in the transport department said the government should expedite the decision to amend the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules and make installation of digital meters mandatory.
“This will not only curb instances of tampered meters, but also bring down overcharging of the commuters by drivers ” they said.

Keep in mind

* Pay fares only according to the revised chart.
* Report any instance of overcharging to police.