A section of CNG-run auto rickshaw drivers and owners is not complying with revised fares and rents due to lack of proper enforcement and monitoring by the authorities concerned.
Many owners of CNG-run auto-rickshaws have already been charging their drivers more rent than the government-fixed rate of Tk 900 per day, forcing the latter charging their passengers more than the officially fixed fares, drivers complained.
Passengers said the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) and law-enforcing agencies are not monitoring the enforcement of new fare structure which was put into effect on November 1 last.
Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury, secretary general of the Bangladesh Passengers' Welfare Association, told The FE: "Things are not going on as we expected. The BRTA is not monitoring properly. They also do not have enough workforce."
Talking to passengers and drivers at different spots in the city during last couple of days (Thursday and Friday), the drivers were found reluctant to go to the desired destinations of passengers.
Drivers also complained that owners have started raising rent although the government hiked the CNG-run auto-rickshaw rent from Tk 600 to Tk 900. They are now being compelled to pay Tk 1,000 to Tk 1,500 in daily rent to the owners.
When contacted, BRTA Director (enforcement) Bijoy Bhushan Paul said they have six mobile courts. One court has been transferred two days ago and now the BRTA is now operating five courts everyday sans two holidays.
According to the BRTA, they filed around 150 cases against law-breaking autos. It also dumped around 20 CNG-run auto rickshaws and realised fined amounting to about Tk 2,50,000.
Drivers said many owners rent out their CNG-run autos in two shifts. In the first shift, a driver operates the vehicle from morning to evening, while another takes it in the second shift from evening to next morning.
"My vehicle owner said I would have to pay Tk 1,100 for the period between 8.00am and 8.00pm. Later he will give the auto to another driver from 8pm," Abul Bashar, an auto-rickshaw driver, told the FE at Motijheel Shapla Chattar on Thursday.
The double shift makes them earn more than double the rent the government has fixed.
Abul Bashar said as he pays additional money to the vehicle owner, he has to charge passengers additional fares to make up the losses. The Dhaka Auto Rickshaw Sramik Union on Tuesday filed an application with the BRTA to take action against the owners for violating the government rule.
The union also enclosed a list of owners of 39 auto-rickshaws who are allegedly charging additional rents.
Many passengers also showed frustration as they had to pay waiting charge which sometimes was higher than the real fare.
The new directive fixed waiting charge per minute at Tk 2 from previous Tk 1.4.
Mr Chowdhury said around 2,500 CNG-run autos are not still recalibrated by BRTA. There are also additional 3,000 unlicensed autos plying on Dhaka roads.
Around 13,000 CNG-run auto-rickshaws are now plying in the capital.
"The BRTA's initiative is not enough to bring them under new fare structure," he added.
The road transport and bridges ministry from November 1 increased passengers' fares and also the rent of CNG-run auto-rickshaws in Dhaka and Chittagong metropolises.
As per the revised fare chart, a passenger will have to pay Tk 40 for travelling the first two kilometres in place of the previous Tk 25. For additional travel, a passenger has to pay Tk 12 for each kilometre instead of previous Tk 7.64.
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