The recent demand posed by the rickshaw owners to hike fares in wake of hike in petrol and diesel prices. What need to to be kept in mind is that government should stop pretending to be unaware about the illegal practice of charging extra by drivers

 

Auto rickshaw association have placed a demand for fare hike with the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), linking it with the recently hike in petrol and diesel prices. It’s so strange to see that we as citizens were giving the hiked fares even when there was no hike in petrol or diesel and that too forcefully and mandatorially. But now the association wants to legalise the whole issue in the wake of hike in petrol prices and diesel prices so that there will be no obstruction and hesitation for the auto wallas to charge a bomb on smaller distances from the commuters.
 
The fact of the matter is that in pune, commuting is only relied on autos. For this, the auto wallas either tamper the meters or ask sky shooting fares or will refuse to go only to earn more money. These illegal practices are never taken care of neither by the police nor by the government. On the suffering end, we as commuters pay extra from our pockets.

 
The pune city Auto Rickshaw Federation has also underscored the need for hiking fares immediately. According to them; after the fuel hike, government takes weeks to increase rickshaw fares. So, this time they want government action on it immediately.
 
Also, not only this, RTA wants to revoke the earlier fare pattern of Rs 10 for the first kilometre and Rs 8 for every extra kilometre.
 
The fact of the matter remains that RTA is looking and considering their side of the story. The fuel hike and other hikes are very much applicable for general public as well. So, in a way, if auto fare is also hiked then; a common man will have another hole in their pocket. In any case; a common man pays much more then the original fare to these auto wallas and if there is fare hike by the government only, then he will have to give even more than the usual hiked fare. Where is the regulation for this issue?
 
What is the common man supposed to do? Who will listen to his plight?
 
Corruption is eating away our system like termites. And it is very evident from this example. What is to be done and what is to not to be done is entirely government’s call. The only thing which such organisations should keep in mind is that; there always two sides of the coin. Considering both sides and issues related to them should be kept in mind by the government. Such demands and petitions should be made after careful thinking and reasoning.
 
Fare hike of autos is just not reasonable when we all know that there is already a hike in the fares. This unnecessary demand of RTA will not only satisfy there greed but will also breed even more corruption. If demands like these are approved then the day is not far when we as general public will be weighed down on such hikes and demands.
 
I think time has come when government should stop pretending to not know the facts of our society and the extent to which corruption has seeped into our lives and should come upfront and does something concrete.