Mangaluru: Autorickshaw operators in the city on Wednesday urged the district administration to revert stagewise fare for every km to the earlier Rs 14.

A section of autorickshaw drivers and owners who attended the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) meeting at the DC’s office, told Deputy Commissioner and chairman of the authority Dr K G Jagadeesha, to reverse the stagewise fare, while retaining the minimum fare of Rs 25.

Transport operators who referred to the recent hike in fuel price, told Dr Jagadeesha that, when crude oil prices fell in international market during the tenure of his predecessor A B Ibrahim, they had cut stage wise fare from Rs 14 to Rs 13, abiding by the directions of then DC. Now, with a hike in fuel price, it would be pertinent to reverse the same.

Arun Kumar, an auto driver, also petitioned the DC to issue permits to auto drivers by classifying them as under zones, as was in practice earlier – Zone-I for urban areas and Zone-II for rural.

In the existing system, there is no such classification and people in rural areas too are obtaining permits in urban areas, denting the prospects of auto operators in the city.

Mohammed Irfan, secretary of Federation of Autorickshaw Owners’ and Drivers’ Association, Mangaluru, argued against putting up LED advertisement boards on the rear of autos, following a warning from the Regional Transport Office (RTO), as it put lives of passengers into risk.

Prakash from Kudla Autorickshaw Drivers’ and Owners’ Association, cited the order of the RTA at a meeting in Bengaluru, where the three-wheelers in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits were permitted to put up the boards by paying Rs 600 advertisement tax annually to the local body.

Advocate M V Nagesh, legal advisor for Dakshina Kannada District Bus Owners’ Association opposed variation in timings of buses. He cited the previous order in relation to the operating areas under district magistrate notified area, that restricts any such changes in timings.

A KSRTC official who opposed it strongly reminded the deputy officer of existing comprehensive area scheme, where any changes in timings amounts to fresh permits that are not allowed under the scheme. The change in timings follows an appeal filed by a section of bus operators in the city, who have sought change in timings to avoid clashes with other operators.

The DC asked both the parties to file written arguments, to be taken up for hearing during the next meeting.

Deputy Commissioner for Transport (DCT) Ramesh Vernekar said as many as 15 appeals have been received for the RTA in the day.