Diwali 'surprise' from TVK; Vijay government revises auto rates after 13 years

CHENNAI: The TVK government in Tamil Nadu revised auto-rickshaw fares. The minimum charge was raised to Rs 50 for 1.8 kilometres. For every subsequent kilometre, an additional charge of Rs 25 applies. Fares for travel on mountain (ghat) roads and during nighttime differ from these rates.

This marks the first increase in auto-rickshaw fares since 2013. The decision to raise the rates follows persistent requests from auto-rickshaw drivers across the state. Transport Minister Vijay Tamilan Parthipan previously assured the drivers that the fares would be increased before Diwali.

Under the new fare structure, the minimum charge for the mountain pass route is Rs 60. For every subsequent kilometre, an additional charge of Rs 30 applies. For journeys undertaken between 10:00 PM and 5:00 AM, the fare may increase to up to 1.5 times the standard rate. Previously, the rates were Rs 25 for the first 1.8 kilometres, with an additional charge of Rs 12 for each subsequent kilometre.