TN auto unions announce Sept 19 stir, seek immediate fare hike

Auto-rickshaw trade unions in Tamil Nadu have announced a protest in Chennai on September 19, intensifying pressure on the Vijay government to revise fares that have remained unchanged for 13 years.

The Federation of Auto-Rickshaw Trade Unions said drivers would assemble near Rajarathinam Stadium in Egmore, demanding an immediate government order on revised meter fares.

Union representatives said nearly five lakh drivers across the state were struggling with higher fuel, maintenance and insurance costs. The decision follows three rounds of consultations held with the Transport Department since the Vijay government assumed office in May.

At the latest meeting on August 27, unions submitted a fare chart proposing a minimum charge of ₹60 to ₹70 for the first 1.5 km and ₹25 to ₹30 for every additional kilometre. Passenger representatives who attended the consultations supported the demand, union leaders said.

The federation has now consolidated its demand at ₹60 for the first 1.5 km and ₹30 for every subsequent kilometre, along with separate waiting and night charges. It said repeated discussions had produced no firm assurance.

Drivers had expected a decision during the Assembly debate on the Transport Department’s demand for grants. However, Transport Minister A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said that an announcement would be made soon, disappointing the unions.

A government committee had earlier recommended, in 2024, a base fare of ₹40 and ₹18 for each additional kilometre. That proposal remained pending. Following the consultations, officials were understood to be considering a higher recommendation of ₹50 as the base fare and ₹22 to ₹25 for every additional kilometre.

The State Home (Transport) Department must take the final decision, the unions said. The last revision, introduced in 2013, fixed the minimum fare at ₹25 for the first 1.8 km and ₹12 for each additional kilometre. Unions argue that those rates bear little relation to present operating expenses and have made meter-based services unviable.

Commuters, meanwhile, have complained that app-based aggregators impose surge pricing, while some drivers demand amounts above displayed estimates.

Transport activists have called for an enforceable fare structure, tighter regulation of aggregators and action on complaints. Officials said the revision would be based on the committee’s recommendations, but the unions maintained that only a time-bound order could avert agitation.

(Except the headline, this article has not been edited by Education Post)