📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Michael Gäbler
Automobile
Tamil Nadu hikes minimum auto‑rickshaw fare to ₹50 after 13 years
✍️ CNBC TV18
🗓 28 Oct 2026, 11:33 AM
👁 12
The Tamil Nadu government has raised the minimum auto‑rickshaw fare to ₹50, the first increase in 13 years.
The state transport authority in Tamil Nadu announced that the minimum fare for auto‑rickshaws will now be set at ₹50, effectively doubling the previous rate of ₹25 that had been in place for 13 years. The decision, disclosed through a press release, aims to bring the fare structure in line with rising operational costs faced by drivers, including fuel and maintenance expenses.
Officials indicated that the new fare will be applicable across all districts of Tamil Nadu from the date of the official notification. The move has been described as a necessary step to ensure the sustainability of the auto‑rickshaw sector, which remains a vital mode of short‑distance transport for millions of commuters.
Stakeholders, including driver unions, have been consulted during the formulation of the revision. While the increase is expected to benefit drivers financially, consumer groups are monitoring its impact on daily commuters, especially those from lower‑income brackets.
The fare revision marks the first adjustment since 2011, reflecting broader economic pressures and the state's effort to modernise its urban transport pricing mechanisms.
Officials indicated that the new fare will be applicable across all districts of Tamil Nadu from the date of the official notification. The move has been described as a necessary step to ensure the sustainability of the auto‑rickshaw sector, which remains a vital mode of short‑distance transport for millions of commuters.
Stakeholders, including driver unions, have been consulted during the formulation of the revision. While the increase is expected to benefit drivers financially, consumer groups are monitoring its impact on daily commuters, especially those from lower‑income brackets.
The fare revision marks the first adjustment since 2011, reflecting broader economic pressures and the state's effort to modernise its urban transport pricing mechanisms.