'Taxis, autos will get e-meters by 2013'

Starting Thursday, your travel expense will up with the hike in taxi and auto-rickshaw fares on recommendation of Hakim committee of the state government

Sadly, the government has expressed its inability to ensure the installation of electronic meters before implementation of the revised fares.

The government has permitted hikes in auto-rickshaw and taxi fares by Rs 2 to 3 for the first kilometre. Minister of state, transport, Gulabrao Devkar, said, "The installation process of electronic meters cannot be done immediately. Most of the auto-rickshaws and taxis have already been installed with electronic meters and the remaining will be done soon."

Auto-rickshaws and taxis unions had claimed that all auto-rickshaws and taxis in the city would be installed with electronic meters before March 31. Sharad Rao, head of Mumbai Autorickshawmen's Union, said, "It is impossible to install electronic meters before October 11. All the auto-rickshaws and taxis in the city will be installed with electronic meters before March 31, 2013."u00a0