We, the residents, commuters and citizens of Kamothe, Kalamboli, New Panvel and Panvel, request the authorities to take immediate and effective action to ensure that autorickshaws operate strictly according to the official government-approved fare tariff and electronic meter.

For years, commuters have faced a persistent problem of autorickshaw drivers:

Refusing to operate on the meter;
Demanding arbitrary fixed fares;
Refusing short-distance trips unless passengers agree to inflated fares;
Charging substantially more than the applicable metered fare;
Not displaying the applicable fare tariff;
Creating unnecessary arguments and inconvenience for passengers.

This is not an isolated incident. Similar complaints have repeatedly been reported by residents of Kamothe and Panvel. Recent reports in 2026 have again highlighted complaints of arbitrary fares and refusal to use meters in the Panvel area.

Our Demands

We respectfully request the authorities to:

1. Make meter operation strictly mandatory
Every permitted autorickshaw must operate on the electronic meter and charge the passenger according to the officially notified tariff.

2. Take action against refusal to use the meter
Refusal to operate the meter or demanding an arbitrary fare should attract appropriate penalties under the applicable rules.

3. Stop arbitrary “fixed fares”
Drivers should not be permitted to impose privately determined fares simply because a passenger is travelling a short distance.

4. Display the official fare tariff
Every autorickshaw should prominently display the current government-approved tariff so that passengers can verify the fare.

5. Conduct regular enforcement drives
The RTO and Traffic Police should conduct surprise/decoy checks at major locations including:

Kamothe railway station
Khandeshwar
Kalamboli
Panvel railway station
New Panvel
Major residential sectors
Hospitals
Schools and colleges
Shopping areas and transport hubs

6. Establish an easy complaint mechanism
Passengers should be able to report overcharging or meter refusal through a simple WhatsApp/online/telephone complaint system by providing the vehicle registration number, location and approximate time.

7. Publish enforcement results
The authorities should periodically publish the number of inspections, violations, penalties and repeat offenders so that citizens can see that complaints are being acted upon.

Why this matters

Autorickshaws are an essential part of public transportation for thousands of residents, senior citizens, students, women, workers and families.

Passengers should not have to negotiate the price of every journey.

A metered public transport system should mean that the passenger knows the fare before paying and the driver follows the same officially notified tariff for everyone.

We are not asking for unreasonable fares or unfair treatment of autorickshaw drivers.

We are asking for fairness, transparency, accountability and enforcement of the official fare system.

We therefore request the authorities to immediately intervene and ensure:

METER ON → OFFICIAL TARIFF → FAIR FARE → NO ARBITRARY CHARGES

On behalf of all the residents and commuters of Kamothe, Kalamboli, New Panvel and Panvel 

Mrs. Shibudhalaxmi Jayamohanram