Despite aggrieved commuters running from pillar to post and filing complaints, autorickshaw drivers in Kollam city continue to fleece passengers and flout norms. With the surge in customers after school reopening, most refuse to follow fares approved by the State government and force passengers to pay exorbitant rates.
While most autorickshaws ply without turning fare meters on, passengers complain that the minimum charge has hit ₹50 in many parts of the city. “The State government had revised the minimum charge to ₹30 in 2022 and within a year, drivers have started charging ₹20 extra. We know we are being overcharged, but many of us have no choice. If we object, they will start abusing us,” says Aravindan, a retired teacher.
According to Rekha, a bank employee, drivers demanding excess fare is a routine affair in the city. “Most of us do not want to start the day with an argument and pay the amount despite knowing that we are being fleeced. This has been an issue for so many years, but the authorities do not care. They conduct some enforcement drive for a week and after that, everything will be back to square one,” she says.
Soumya, a homemaker, says she was shocked at the quoted fare from the Kollam railway station to the KSRTC bus stand. “He wanted ₹100 and the fare meter was not working when I reached the destination. The same day, another auto charged me ₹50 to cover a distance of 1.5 km. I was not travelling at a late hour and there was no traffic. But when you are rushing to a place, you do not want to waste time bargaining,” she says.
Passengers feel that the Motor Vehicles department (MVD) and the traffic police are doing nothing to enforce the use of fare meters or to take action against errant drivers. “The MVD has installed artificial intelligence (AI) cameras to detect traffic rule violations and they are enforcing it. But when it comes to autorickshaw drivers, they cannot do anything. People who travel in autos are not from the affluent class and they cannot afford such rates,” says Jacob, a lawyer.
Though the issue was flagged in the District Development Committee (DDC) meeting last month, authorities are yet to take any action. “We conduct crackdowns when the situation is beyond control, but the enforcement drive will soon end and the drivers know this well. They might use meters for a week or two and even then, they will charge extra. What we need is the officials concerned to ensure consistent monitoring and enforcement, especially when we are promoting Kollam as a major tourist destination,” says an official.
