Passengers availing services of app-based taxi services may have to pay almost double the rates displayed on their mobile apps as the taxi drivers on Monday declared that they will follow the new RTO-approved fare structure. The Regional Transport Office (RTO), Nagpur has recently revised the taxi cab tariff according to which the new rates are nearly double the rates being followed by the aggregators including Ola, Uber, and Rapido. “As per the RTO’s revised rates, a passenger should pay Rs 28.80 per km for an air conditioned cab. On the other hand, all the aggregators are collecting charges in the range of Rs 10-15 per km from the passengers,” Deepak Sane, President of Vidarbha App-based Taxi Union, while addressing a press conference held here in the city under the banner of ‘Joint App based Taxi Drivers Union’.

 

Sane said that Ola, Uber, and Rapido companies should upgrade their fare structure at the earliest possible and bring it at par with the RTO approved rates. “We have been requesting the companies to upgrade the rates but they are avoiding it. However, we have now decided to adopt the RTO rates with immediate effect,” he said. The drivers feel they are not adequately compensated when aggregators offer rides at the prevailing rates. Vinod Vyavahare, General Secretary of the association, said that most of the 4,000 to 5,000 taxi drivers in the city are struggling to survive in the current scenario. “Some of them have sold their houses to buy taxis. But now they are not earning profit,” he said. Moreshwar Chawre, President of the body, said “we are collecting justified fare from the passengers and they are also paying us without any hesitation.

 

And if the passengers refuse to pay as per the new rates, the drivers cancel the booking,” he added. On July 18, cab drivers observed total bandh across the State in support of their various demands. They wanted the Government to intervene and fix the rates with the help of Regional Transport Offices. The drivers alleged that the companies fix the rates unilaterally. The drivers also want rollback of the Maharashtra Government’s decision to introduce e-bike taxis and withdrawal of the rule of blocking IDs without proper investigation of complaints.