Autocracy! How faulty meters & overcharging drivers taking Bengalureans for a ride
Bengaluru: When Anjali (name changed) hailed an autorickshaw in Jayanagar recently, she was relieved to find a driver who agreed to go by the meter, a rare win, she thought. Her destination, BTM Layout, was barely 4km away.
The ride was smooth, the driver polite, and everything seemed fair until the meter stopped at Rs 400. Shocked and confused, Anjali realised too late that something was off. Hers is not an isolated case.
Residents across the city are voicing concerns over malfunctioning auto meters. While some autos operate without meters entirely, many others have the device that ticks at an unusually fast rate, leaving passengers overcharged and frustrated.
Commuters say even short rides often end up costing double the usual fare.
Akshara Srivastav, a student from MG Road, said: "I was charged Rs 180 for a ride from Indiranagar to MG Road. I take that route often, and it usually comes to Rs 80–90. When I questioned the driver, he simply pointed to the meter and shrugged. It's frustrating because you feel helpless and cheated."
Subramaniam Sastri, a senior citizen from Jayanagar, had a similar experience.
"My wife and I took an auto to the nearby clinic, barely 3 km away. The meter showed Rs 210! When I raised the issue, the driver became aggressive. At our age, arguing isn't easy. We now avoid autos unless absolutely necessary. The authorities must step in; this is becoming a daily struggle."
Ironically, the transport dept has turned a blind eye to the problems faced by commuters, especially after the bike taxi ban kicked in.
"Instead of seizing bikes, why can't the transport dept staff crack down on autorickshaws that do not operate by the meter, that fleece commuters for extra fare and for simply refusing to ply," netizens said.
Congestion fare? Commuters share their ordeal
Vinay Shankar, a city resident, recently shared a screenshot of his auto ride booked through a third-party aggregator app. What caught his attention was a line in the fare breakdown labelled "congestion fee."
While the total fare was Rs 173, a surprising Rs 34 was added solely under this category. His tweet read, "Today's auto story, I was rejected by 2 autos and was trying to flag them, meaning they violated rules, and finally, to get a ride, I had to pay INR 84 beyond as a bribe, and congestion charges."
Sharing a similar story, Raj S told TOI: "When I booked a ride from Church Street to Halasuru, the estimated fare was around Rs 60-70.
After reaching the destination, which took longer than I expected, the fare jumped to Rs 150. Confused, I paid the auto driver and checked the receipt, and I was charged Rs 40 as congestion charges."
Sripad Bhat, another netizen, posted: "Bengaluru auto driver taking passengers on fare meter charges is a daydream. Come and check at any Metro station. Min Rs 100 for 1km, I support bike taxis."
"Please introduce us to one auto driver who uses the meter at least. Today I was being asked Rs 400 for Anandrao Circle to JP Nagar 1st Phase," Bhavesh M Vyas, a netizen, posted.
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