How do we recalibrate meters in 3 months? Asks auto union

The meters have to recalibrated after the recent fare hike given by the government. File pic

Auto and taxi drivers are now faced with the very real problem of recalibrating their meters after the fare hike. The drivers say recalibrating meters is a complex process involving multiple steps and visits to the transport office and this could lead to crowding and other issues in the pandemic.

Too many autos

Despite losses in the pandemic and rising fuel prices, the Maharashtra government on Monday hiked the base fares of taxis and autos in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region by Rs 3 from March 1. Auto and taxi drivers have been given three months to recalibrate meters. "Around 2 lakh autos from Mumbai region and just 90 days. How will the recalibration happen? Actually, you won't even get 90 days if you count Sundays and bank holidays. It will roughly be 75 days. So it will mean 3,000 autos lining up at RTO offices every day. A two-km test track run to calibrate the meter takes a lot of time. I don't know how all this is planned and announced. There is bound to be a rush at the RTO offices from Monday," Mumbai Automen's Union leader Shashank Sharad Rao said.

"Does anyone in the government take ground realities into consideration? We did not ask for it, commuters did not ask for it, yet the government dumped the hike on us," he said.

‘Extension a must'

Mumbai Taximen's Union leader Anthony Quadros said that there will not be any option but to give an extension. "The three-month period for recalibrating meters is not sufficient and they will obviously extend it later," he said.

But Maharashtra Transport Commissioner Avinash Dhakne said it would not be fair to say so. "I have called a meeting of meter calibration teams and all stakeholders and we shall plan a proper way so that it can be done without breaching any COVID-19 protocols. We will have to arrive at a seamless solution acceptable to all. We will figure out a way," he told mid-day.