Pune: Already grappling with cab drivers’ demand for ‘meter’ fares since May, commuters are now staring at another bump in the road. Starting Tuesday, the rides might get pricier as the Indian Gig Workers’ Front gears up to hike cab fares, aligning them with the state’s yet-to-be-unveiled cab aggregator policy.Keshav Kshirsagar, president of the organisation, told TOI that they could no longer afford to wait for the formal rollout of the govt policy. “We have decided to implement the changes directly on our website (onlymeter.in), which is already being used by most cab drivers to calculate fares. After discussions with the state transport department, we learned the policy might take another month to be finalized. We simply can’t wait that long,” he said.The organisation had launched the website in May, and since then, a growing number of cab drivers affiliated with aggregators like Uber, Ola and Rapido have started following the rates on portal. It was announced that govt-approved cab fares, starting at Rs 37 for the first 1.5km and Rs 25 for each additional kilometre, would be applicable to passengers. Uber and Rapido also declared their shift to a ‘Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)’ model. Under this system, while the fare for a destination would still appear on their apps, the final fare would be negotiated directly between the passenger and the driver.“Starting Tuesday, the revised fares will be reflected on the website (onlymeter.in), and cab drivers across Maharashtra, including Pune, have been instructed to comply. While not every driver may adhere strictly to the new rates, our platform has demonstrated strong outreach and influence,” Kshirsagar said.Additional transport commissioner Bharat Kalaskar said the fare hike was illegal. “Until an official policy is introduced, such fare increases are not permitted. They simply cannot do this,” he told TOI. A WhatsApp message sent to state transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar remained unanswered till going to press. Another senior transport official, however, confirmed, “If found guilty of indulging in such practices, penalties will be imposed on cab drivers.”Kalyaninagar resident Abhishek Shastri said: “Cab and autorickshaw drivers are demanding arbitrary fares and even resorting to threats and intimidation. Authorities concerned keep promising action, but nothing ever changes.”Ashwini Pathak, a pvt firm employee residing on Dhole Patil Road, echoed the sentiment and said, “Every day, cab drivers cancel rides multiple times and quote unreasonable fares. The police and RTO officials just keep saying action will be taken, but we see no results.”Makrand Kolte, a junior bank employee from Kedarinagar in Kondhwa, said, “Earlier this month, I took a cab from Lohegaon to my home. Midway through the ride, I was informed about the fare via onlymeter.in. Although the Uber app showed Rs 260, I was charged Rs 310. I didn’t argue because the driver seemed aggressive and it was late in the evening.”Jyotsna Lakra, who arrived from Ranchi last month and needed a ride to Koregaon Park, faced multiple cab cancellations at Pune airport. “After waiting for about half an hour, one driver finally accepted the ride but told me the fare shown in the app didn’t apply in Pune. When I questioned him, he got irritated and asked if I was new to the city. The app showed Rs 160, but I ended up paying Rs 220. I had already been travelling for five hours, so I didn’t argue further. But I wonder if the police or other authorities take action against such practices? Even in a smaller city like Ranchi, this doesn’t happen.”Rohit Mahajan, a pvt firm employee from Vimannagar, shared a similar experience. “I rarely take cabs any more. Metro has been a huge relief. I have had too many unpleasant experiences with cab and autorickshaw drivers. Just a month ago, a cab driver charged me according to the meter but then demanded Rs 50 extra, claiming he wouldn’t get passengers on the return trip,” he said.GRAPHICAT LEAST RS 30 HIKE FOR 10KM RIDEFARE STRUCTUREOLDAny cab Rs 37 (first 1.5km) Rs 25 (additional km)NEWVehicle Base fare (initial 3km) Additional kmHatchback Rs 84 Rs 28Sedan Rs 93 Rs 31SUVs & larger vehicles Rs 102 Rs 34THE INCREASE (10KM RIDE)Vehicle New OldHatchback Rs 280 Rs 250Sedan Rs 310 Rs 250SUV Rs 350 Rs 250STARTS TODAYRevised fares will be reflected on the website (onlymeter.in) starting TuesdayCab drivers across Maharashtra, including Pune, have been instructed to complyAround 40,000 operational cabs in Pune across different aggregator firms
