Tamil Nadu’s revised auto-rickshaw fares came into effect on Thursday, with the state fixing a minimum fare of Rs 50 for the first 1.8 km and Rs 25 for every additional kilometre. The change, announced after a 13-year gap, affects auto-rickshaw passengers across the state and requires about 4.20 lakh meters to be recalibrated within six months.
The state Transport Commissionerate has instructed auto-rickshaw drivers to follow the new fare structure from the date of implementation. Until individual meters are modified, drivers must download the fare card available on the transport department’s website and display it inside their vehicles for public inspection, according to officials quoted in the report.
The fare card will carry a QR code. Passengers can scan the code to verify whether the displayed fare information is authentic, the transport authority said. The arrangement is intended to provide a temporary reference for commuters while the state completes the large-scale meter revision process.
Tamil Nadu has 4.20 lakh auto-rickshaw meters that require modification under the new tariff. The six-month deadline means the revision will have to be carried out through the state’s network of Regional Transport Offices and approved meter-related processes. The authority’s instructions place the immediate responsibility on drivers to display the authorised fare information and complete meter revisions within the specified period.
Auto-rickshaw unions welcomed the revised fare but also raised operational and administrative demands. The All Auto Trade Unions Federation coordinator Balasubramaniam said unions should have been consulted before the new meter fare was announced. He also called for the launch of a government auto-rickshaw application, the formation of a tripartite committee and a Rs 5,000 festival bonus for drivers through the welfare board.
Zahir Hussain, executive president of the Urimai Kural Drivers’ Union, thanked the state Transport Department for increasing the meter fare and requested that special camps be organised at Regional Transport Offices to help drivers modify their meters. Such camps could become important as thousands of vehicle owners seek to complete the process before the six-month deadline, although the report does not specify whether a statewide camp schedule has been issued.
The Transport Commissionerate has asked drivers to comply with the revised rates and warned against collecting amounts beyond the authorised fare. Passengers can lodge complaints about excess collection through the helpline 1800 425 5430. The implementation now depends on the timely display of fare cards, the authenticity checks enabled by the QR code and the completion of meter revisions across the state within six months.
