Auto and taxi drivers are now faced with the very real problem of recalibrating their meters after the fare hike. The drivers say recalibrating meters is a complex process involving multiple steps and visits to the transport office and this could lead to crowding and other issues in the pandemic.

Too many autos

Despite losses in the pandemic and rising fuel prices, the Maharashtra government on Monday hiked the base fares of taxis and autos in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region by Rs 3 from March 1. Auto and taxi drivers have been given three months to recalibrate meters. “Around 2 lakh autos from Mumbai region and just 90 days. How will the recalibration happen? Actually, you won’t even get 90 days if you count Sundays and bank holidays. It will roughly be 75 days. So it will mean 3,000 autos lining up at RTO offices every day. A two-km test track run to calibrate the meter takes a lot of time. I don’t know how all this is planned and announced. There is bound to be a rush at the RTO offices from Monday,” Mumbai Automen’s Union leader Shashank Sharad Rao said.