In the coming days, travelling by ola and uber would be expensive

With the Karnataka transport department revising app-based taxi fares by 35 percent to 92 percent, traveling by Ola and Uber would burn a bigger hole in passengers’ pockets. For the first 4 kilometres, commuters pay a minimum of Rs 75 for small cabs and Rs 150 for luxury taxis. The rates were previously Rs 44 and Rs 80, respectively.

The new fares will take effect right away. The last tariff revision took place in 2018. The per-kilometer tariff for journeys longer than 4 kilometres must fall within the notification’s minimum and maximum fares for each class. The rise in per-kilometer tariff is estimated to be between 35 and 75 percent. Ola and Uber did not respond to requests for comment right away.

The step follows a driver’s self-immolation in protest of rising fuel prices, and is focused on requests from drivers.
Radio taxis will be able to charge based on the price of vehicles classified into four groups, as specified by the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules. According to the cost of cars, the fare structure is divided into four categories, with A being the most expensive (more than Rs 16 lakh) and D being the least expensive (up to Rs 5 lakh).

“Because fuel prices are fluctuating and vehicle maintenance and prices are high, the Centre regularly advises the state transportation authority to control fares for various types of taxis operating under the aggregator rules,” said a transport department official.

The notification stipulates that travelers will be given a free 20-minute waiting period, with operators being charged Rs 10 for every 15 minutes of waiting time after that. It uses dynamic pricing and fares that are barred depending on travel time.

Pratap, a 34-year-old cab driver, set himself on fire in his cab on Tuesday. He who worked for the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation’s airport taxi service, died after suffering 70 percent burns. Cab drivers protested the incident, claiming that their deceased colleague was struggling to pay EMIs due to a shrinking KSTDC client base and losing business to Ola and Uber. In comparison to the fixed government fare of Rs24 per km paid by the KSTDC, Ola and Uber charge less than Rs 10 per km.