Autos hike morning fares to make up for evening losses
Times of India | 10 October 2024
Kolkata: The autorickshaws might be going off the roads on puja evenings but they are making passengers pay for their losses. The fares charged in the morning sometimes as high Rs 100 per passenger. While such trends have become a regular affair around Durga puja in the past few years, the hike this time is exorbitant and is being charged even in early morning.
On Hazra-Behala route, auto drivers are demanding Rs 100 per person for a trip to Behala. “It’s a nightmare crossing Chetla. Hence the number of trips is being curtailed,” said an auto operator.
At 10.45 am on Wednesday an auto heading from Hatibagan to Ultadanga charged Rs 40 per head. The usual fare is Rs 10. Auto drivers claim they avoiding the direct route from Ultadanga to Khanna, Hatibagan, or Shovabazar. The auto routes from Ultadanga to BK Pal or Ahiritola Launch Ghat have been closed. Many are cutting short their routes and demanding whatever fare they please.
“As a result, regular commuters are suffering. During the festival days each year, it increases by another Rs 5-10. But this time, some are charging 25 rupees, while others are asking for Rs 30-40,” said Somnath Bhadra, a resident of Telengabagan.
The auto fare on the Gariahat-Rashbehari route has also increased significantly. Before the festival started, the fare had increased from Rs 11 rupees to Rs 13. From Sunday, it went up to Rs 20. The fare from Ballygunge to Rashbehari, which was previously Rs 15, has become was increased to Rs 20-25 or even higher by some auto drivers from Wednesday. Sinjini Dutta, a passenger who took an auto from Ballygunge to Kalighat metro station, said: “The auto driver suddenly asked for Rs 20 while the revised fare for Puja was Rs 15. We were ready to pay for that, but he charged a higher fare, citing traffic jam, even though the traffic was moderate around noon.”