Anbumani criticises DMK government for not revising autorickshaw, taxi fares

PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday criticised the DMK government for failing to fulfil its promise to revise autorickshaw and taxi fares in Tamil Nadu, despite promising to do so a year ago following representations from drivers’ unions.

In a statement, he said fares for autorickshaws and taxis in cities, including Chennai, were last revised in August 2013, when the minimum autorickshaw fare was fixed at ₹25 for 1.8 km and ₹12 for every additional kilometre. He said fares had remained unchanged for over a decade, severely affecting the livelihoods of drivers amid rising fuel prices, insurance premiums, and vehicle maintenance costs.

Dr. Anbumani said petrol and diesel prices had nearly doubled since the last revision, while spare parts, batteries, and service charges had risen two to threefold. He pointed out that the Madras High Court had in 2022 directed the government to form an expert committee to recommend fare revisions, but the committee had yet to submit its report.

Urging the State government to immediately revise the fares, he added that the continued delay would further harm drivers and economically vulnerable sections.