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If your daily morning commute already feels like it’s testing your patience, September has arrived with another surprise: a slight fare change on your trusty auto-rickshaw and Mumbai taxi. The increased auto and kalli-peeli Mumbai taxi fares come into effect from today, September 1, across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), and that, unfortunately, means that your everyday auto or taxi rides will now cost a little more.
This fare revision – approved by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) – comes in response to the rising operational costs of vehicles, including fuel prices and maintenance, among other expenses. While the minimum prices have increased by ₹1 for autos and ₹2 for taxis, the regular commuters in Mumbai are likely to notice the difference over time.
What are the new auto and cab prices?
The bigger change is the minimum fare charged for the first 1.5 kilometres. For autorickshaws, the fare has been raised from ₹26 to ₹27, and for taxis, the prices are up from ₹31 to ₹33.
As reported by Mid-Day, beyond the base fare, the per-kilometre rates have also been revised – autorickshaws will now charge ₹18.22 per km, while black-and-yellow taxis will cost ₹21.90 per km after the initial distance.
The catch: you won’t find every meter displaying new fares immediately. Auto and taxi drivers have been issued official tariff cards by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) that passengers can use to calculate the correct amount – this will continue till this November, when every vehicle’s meter is recalibrated. So, don’t be shocked if your driver reaches for a laminated fare chart.
If you’re someone planning to travel between midnight to 5am, you’ll need to pay an additional amount – 25 percent over the rate. Plus, an AC taxi ride will cost 10 percent more than the kaali-peeli Mumbai taxi. Additionally, the waiting charges will depend on the distance covered. ₹1 or ₹2 can be charged per minute, or the applicable fare for per-km ride.
A small hike with a citywide impact
Mumbai’s autos and taxis remain one of the city’s most relied-upon modes of transport, especially for the first and last mile connectivity between railway and metro stations and neighbourhoods. The revised fares affect the services across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region - including Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai and neighbouring suburbs where metered taxis and autorickshaws operate.
So whether you’re planning to hop into an auto for a quick run to the nearby station or flagging down a taxi post dinner, it might be worth keeping some extra rupees handy. After all, in Mumbai, the meter never really stops running.