Minimum fare impasse continues: Autos off city roads for 3rd successive day

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 30, 2015: Autorickshaws are off the roads of Mangaluru for the third successive day on January 30, Friday. The autorickshaw drivers are on a protest since January 28 opposing the RTA decision to reduce the minimum fare to Rs 20 from the existing Rs 25.

The autorickshaw drivers are unwilling to implement the same on the grounds that the prices of essential commodities including autorickshaw spare parts have not come down and a reduction in minimum fares would mean greater losses to them.

Even a meeting convened by the RTA with the autorickshaw drivers on January 29 failed to end the deadlock with drivers refusing to heed to the RTA directive and even the latter  unwilling to budge.

The Regional Transport Authority has now warned that   the restrictions to rural permit autos to operate in the city would be lifted and they will be allowed to operate in the city if the autorickshaw drivers did not withdraw their protest.