Who are the ‘rich people’ of Bangalore?
The ones who travel in Mercedes and BMWs?
No, they might be rich, but the real upper class people are those who travel in auto rickshaws. I can’t say this for any other city, but taking up an auto in Bangalore is really a luxury.
On a more serious note, the fare which majority of the auto drivers charge even for covering a small distance leaves a dent in the pocket. The worst part is that there is no rule or system or fare chart which is followed by the auto drivers, even though they are supposed to do so. They ask for whatever amount they feel like.
A simple example of such an incidence was when I had to go to the Mantri Square Mall from Majestic. It’s hardly 3 km, so when I asked the auto driver how much he will charge, his reply was Rs. 120. If bargained further, he would have brought it down to 100.
Even Rs. 100 is more than double of what is legitimate. It’s like when you go to an auto driver and tell him that you want to go to this XYZ place, the reply for the fare that comes from him is not based on any calculation, but it’s more like a random amount which just popped up in his head.
Now you must be wondering that to avoid such incidents specifically, there is a meter in place in every auto rickshaw and all auto drivers have to use it as per the regulations of Bangalore Traffic Police.
But as far as the auto drivers of Bangalore are concerned, meter is an unfair way of billing the passenger and it does not guarantee the amount which they deserve. On most occasions the auto driver will simply refuse to go if you ask him to go by the meter, and in case they agree to go, they will demand an extra Rs. 20 or 30 once you reach your destination, because to their knowledge the machine does not take traffic or other factors into account. And don’t ever get into an argument with them. There will be no point in arguing for that because they won’t let go, and not every time you have the patience or the time to go through it. As a result you end up paying more than you should.
In case you don’t speak Kannada and are not familiar with the city, you are in for deeper trouble. Sadly, there will be nothing much to do about it, unless you decide to go for a different medium of transport.
Everything being said, it’s not that all auto drivers take undue advantage of their passengers or make unreasonable demands. There are some brilliant ones as well who are super nice, and go out of their way to help others. But if we talk in totality, then there is an issue at hand.
The best way around this problem is going for pre-paid autos. It is the perfect solution and it ensures that you don’t feel looted after the ride. But a pre-paid auto is not available everywhere, only in selected places of the city you can get them.
That’s why BMTC buses are a savior for a common man in Bangalore. They are cheap and run from everywhere to everywhere. Whereas the autos – unreasonable, over demanding and super expensive.
Have you ever been overcharged by auto-wallahs in Bangalore? Share your story in comments with us.
