Following a spike in auto fares across Bengaluru after the bike taxi ban, Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has ordered a stringent clampdown. Calling the overcharging a form of “daylight robbery,” the minister has instructed the Transport Commissioner to take immediate action, including cancelling permits and filing criminal cases against violators. Since the June 16 ban on bike taxis, commuters have reported that short-distance fares have surged, not just with street-hailed autos but also across popular ride-hailing apps.
Shreya (name changed), a commuter who booked an autorickshaw via an app-based platform, told businessline that she was shown fares ranging from ₹130 to ₹156 for a 1.8 km ride on a Sunday morning. “This spike in prices after the bike-taxi ban is unreasonable. I can’t make sense of how the dynamic pricing works anymore,” she said.
The government is aiming to curb pricing irregularities and restore fair fare practices for city commuters. In a letter to the Transport Commissioner dated June 28, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy directed officials to take immediate action in cases where passengers are overcharged or rides are cancelled for refusing to pay inflated fares. “If there are complaints from passengers about overcharging or cancellation of rides due to non-payment of higher fares, swift action must be taken,” he wrote.
Reddy acknowledged that while the Transport Department has registered cases against auto drivers for refusing rides and demanding excess fares, public complaints continue to pour in. “An effective action plan must be formulated immediately to protect the interests of the public and take stern action against guilty auto drivers and owners,” he added.