Belagavi
A new initiative to enforce metered fares for autorickshaws in the city has been announced by Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan. Starting October 1, all autorickshaws will be required to use fare meters. This change aims to protect passengers from arbitrary charges and was decided during a meeting with the District Road Safety Committee and the Regional Transport Office (RTO).
The Deputy Commissioner highlighted the need for cooperation with the Police Department, Regional Transport Authorities, and the Autorickshaw Drivers’ Association to ensure a smooth transition. A joint meeting will be organized to discuss the practicalities of implementing this change.
Past efforts to enforce metered fares have not succeeded. In 2022, a similar announcement was made, but the initiative failed, and autorickshaws continued to charge high rates. At that time, the minimum fare was set at Rs 25 for 1.5 km.
The idea of regulating auto fares has a longer history, including a prepaid service launched at Belagavi Railway Station in 2019. This service was intended to provide fare transparency but encountered issues with inflated charges and poor enforcement. The system, which aimed to replicate successful prepaid services in Bengaluru, did not work due to local challenges.
Passengers remain hopeful that this new announcement will bring about real change in fare regulation and improve their experience.
