Mumbai: Price capping for your taxi and auto rides to be delayed further

City commuters are unlikely to get any immediate respite from surge-pricing of app-based taxis, black and yellow taxis and other taxi aggregators, as the recommendations made by the Khatua panel on controlling the surge in taxi fares will be given for fresh feedback.

The government has now sought the feedback on the panel’s recommendations from the transport commissioner office. The four-member panel, led by former IAS officer, BC Kathua, had submitted its 212 page report to the state on October 10, 2017, after a delay of almost a year.

Considering the delay in appointment and submission of the report, it was expected that the government will take an immediate decision on the implementation of the panel’s recommendations before the end of the year 2017.

“The government will process the report further only after receiving feedback from the transport commissioner office, but it likely to take some time,” said an officer from the transport commissioner officer.

The transport commissioner office has been asked to submit a report comparing the recommendations of the Khatua Panel with the single-member Hakim panel report. The panel constituted by former IAS officer, PMA Hakim, had derived the existing fare revision formula for autorickshaws and taxis in 2012, said an officer of the transport department, requesting anonymity of name.

Apart from fare revision formula for taxis and autos, the Khatua panel also suggested minimum and maximum fare for app-based taxis, as well as controlling their surge pricing, which zooms up manifold with increase in demand.

The transport department officer said, being an enforcement authority, the transport commissioner office is expected to know the positive and negative implications of the Khatua panel recommendations.

“We wanted to ensure that Khatua panel’s recommendations are not contradictory to the Hakim panel recommendations, which the government had already accepted,” said the officer.

In telescopic fare structure, the fare will reduce for each kilometre with an increase in distance. During happy hours, commuters will be given 15-20% discount. But these recommendations are being opposed by taxi unions.