The Tamil Nadu government has issued a formal notification revising the fare structure for contract carriage auto-rickshaws operating across the Chennai Metropolitan Area and other regions throughout the state.
Under the updated guidelines issued by Principal Secretary A. Karthik under Section 67(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the minimum fare has been fixed at ₹50 for the first 1.8 kilometres. Passengers will be charged an additional ₹25 for every subsequent kilometre travelled beyond the initial 1.8 km threshold.
Revised Charges for Ghats, Night Travel, and Waiting Time
The new government order supersedes previous Home Department notifications from August 2013 and October 2014, introducing clear provisions for specialized travel conditions:
- Ghat Routes: A base fare of ₹60 (calculated at 1.2 times the minimum fare), with an additional charge of ₹30 per kilometre.
- Night-Time Surcharge: Travel between 10:00 PM and 5:00 AM will incur 1.5 times the regular fare.
- Waiting Charges: A standardized waiting fee of ₹1 per minute applies.
The State Transport Authority and respective Regional Transport Authorities have been directed to implement and enforce the revised fare structures across their jurisdictions. While the notification was officially issued on October 27, the exact commencement date was not specified in the initial order.
