Autorickshaw drivers reiterate demand of fare increase

Autorickshaw drivers and app-based transport workers unions on Saturday met Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and reiterated their demand of enhancing the minimum and per kilometre fare.The unions sent representatives such as B. Venkatesham, A. Sathireddy, M.A. Saleem, Ajay Babu and others, as a part of a joint action committee (JAC), who brought this and other issues to Mr. Prabhakar’s notice, as a follow up to a meeting they had with him on September 7. The JAC leaders sought an increase in the minimum auto fare to ₹40 and the fare for every subsequent kilometre to ₹18.Mr. Prabhakar said the decisions taken at the September 7 meeting would soon be implemented and assured the union leaders that the government was working on the modalities for setting up a welfare board for autorickshaw workers. He also said the government was in the process of developing an app for the sector.The union leaders urged the government to bar the operation of autorickshaws in city that are registered in districts other than Hyderabad. They said permits could be issued to local auto drivers to meet the city’s transport requirements. The Minister assured them that the remaining auto permits covered under Government Order No. 263 would be issued shortly, the JAC stated.Mr. Prabhakar also suggested the union leaders to nominate a smaller delegation of about five representatives to meet him every week and discuss the problems faced by autorickshaw drivers until the issues were resolved. Published - September 12, 2026 08:20 pm IST