Auto and taxi fare to go up from Oct 1

Thiruvananthapuram: The State government Wednesday decided to revise autorickshaw and taxi fare with effect from October 1.

Announcing the government decision, State Minister for Transport Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said the minimum auto charge has been hiked to Rs 20 from Rs 15.

"In the minimum charge, a passenger could travel up to 1.5 km," he said. The fare would be Rs 10 for every additional one km, he said.

There was also corresponding increase for night travel and waiting charges. Fares were last revised in the state in 2011.

Similarly, with regard to taxi fares, minimum charge has been fixed at Rs 150 for a distance of five km, he said.

The Minister asked the joint action council of auto and taxi drivers to call off their strike from midnight tonight in view of the government's decision to hike fares.

The revision was effected on the basis of the Justice M Ramachandran Commission report.