Mangaluru, January 21: A meeting was chaired by the Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim at his office on Tuesday, January 20th with the autorickshaw associations to implement the revised auto fare failed since they failed to arrive at a conclusion.
The RTA had directed the autorickshaw associations to bring down the existing minimum fares to Rs 20 and Rs 13 per km thereafter following the fall in fuel prices in a meeting held on January 10th and were directed to implement the same on January 12th. But the auto drivers denied it and demanded Rs 23 as minimum fare and Rs 13 per kilometre thereafter and argued that auto fares have not been revised elsewhere in the state. They had also protested urging the district administration for reconsideration of the decision. Hence the RTA chairman had organised a meeting to resolve it.
Deputy Commissioner A B Ibrahim suggested that the fare could be revised to Rs 22 minimum and Rs 12 per kilometer, which the drivers opposed. He said, more time will be given to the auto drivers to think and take an appropriate decision.
The Deputy Commissioner conversing with the media after the meeting said, public welfare will be given the utmost priority.
In the meeting, Hephsiba Rani Korlapatti, MCC commissioner, AA Khan, Regional Transport Officer, Uday Nayak Assistant commissioner of Police and representatives of auto drivers’ associations’ had participated.
