Morung Express News
DIMAPUR | MAY 31
Come June and all commercial auto rickshaws plying in Dimapur will be fitted with fare meters. This was decided at two joint sittings of the district administration, Dimapur Municipal Council (DMC) and the Dimapur District Auto Drivers’ Union (DDADU) held on May 25 and the 28th in the DC’s office chamber and District Transport Office, respectively. The second meeting attended by EAC (Transport), Traffic and Police personnel, DMC and DDADU representatives also deliberated on the fares including hiring, night and waiting charges.
According to DMC sources, the hiring charge of an autorickshaw for the first two kilometers (upon downing the meter) has been fixed at Rs. 15 and then Rs. 9 for every additional kilometer. An additional 50% of the fare will be levied as night charges (8pm to 4am), while the rate for waiting charges, depending on the duration of the wait, is yet to be finalized. Meanwhile, DMC member and convenor of the municipal’s Traffic Control Cell, G Kits has expressed gratitude to the DC of Dimapur (also chairman of Regional Transport Authority), SP Dimapur and district transport officer, Dimapur, for their support and advice with regard to introduction of fare meters in autorickshaws.
The introduction of the meter system will come as a relief to many passengers who are overcharged by drivers, despite the revised rate of fares fixed by the district administration. For instance, passengers on the Nagarjan route still continue to pay Rs. 10 instead of the revised Rs. 5 for Nagarjan Junction-Half Nagarjan stretch. On the other hand, the introduction of the meter may not make much difference if the authority in concern fails to inspect the meters from time to times as even meters can be tampered with.
