Delhi autos - they sure do take you for a ride

A Story by Om

The excess fares Delhi autowalas loot from Delhites daily

Why do Delhi autos refuse to go by the meter, typically charging Rs.40-50 just for 1Km...that's what should be charged for at least 3Km with average to moderate traffic...why don't all potential customers go on strike & refuse to use them, particularly in south Delhi (upto Chattarpur) where only they rule as the single mode of secondary transport apart from the buses (no E- or manual rickshaws). They would rather sit there idly to squeeze another Rs.20 than just get on with it...Delhi may be the national capital & have a much better metro system than Mumbai, however as far as autos are concerned, the law & meter abiding Marathans win hands down...cycle & E-rickshaws are marginally better but still charge ridiculously just for half a kilometre...Rs.30-40 to be precise. Why the government decided to remove the manual & E-rickshaws off the major parts of South Delhi is beyond me...at least the E-rickshaws could have stayed...it is very simple: all the government needs to do is deploy a similar strategy to Mumbai - or wire the meter directly to the engine by making a mandatory modification to every auto in Delhi...so that drivers are obliged to run the meter for each journey