A social media post by AAB seeking residents’ experiences with auto-rickshaw fares has generated a wide range of responses, with passengers reporting fares from ₹60 to ₹400 for journeys of just a few kilometres.
The discussion followed an AAB post highlighting the gap between the stated minimum fare and what passengers say they are actually being asked to pay. According to the information used in the post, Belagavi has around 10,000 auto-rickshaws, while about 1,600 have had their meters calibrated.
Several residents shared specific examples of fares they had recently paid.
One resident reported paying ₹100 for a journey of approximately 750 metres from Nehru Nagar DMart to Azam Nagar 3rd Cross. Another said they paid ₹100 for about 1 km from Railway Station to Mangalwar Peth.
Other examples shared by residents include:
- ₹60 for 2 km
- ₹70 for 2 km
- ₹100 for 2 km
- ₹120–150 for about 2 km from RC Nagar towards DMart, according to one resident
- ₹150 for 2.5 km from the Bus Stand to Shivbasav Nagar
- ₹150 for around 3 km from RTO office to Hanuman Nagar
- ₹150 for 4 km from Railway Station to Hanuman Nagar
- ₹180 for 4.5 km from DMart to Ramteerth Nagar
- ₹250 for around 4.5 km from Railway Station to Shree Nagar
- ₹250 for around 5 km from Central Bus Stand to Military Hospital
- ₹400 was reported for some longer or late-night trips, including a passenger who said they were asked for ₹400 for a 5 am trip to Vidya Nagar.
‘It depends on the driver’
Several commenters said there appears to be no consistency in fares.
One resident said the amount demanded often depends on the passenger’s urgency and willingness to pay. Another summed it up as being dependent on the “mood of the auto driver.”
A resident also said that a minimum fare of ₹60 was being demanded even for a journey of around 100 metres.
At the same time, not every experience reported was expensive. One passenger said they paid ₹50 from Railway Station to the Central Bus Stand, while another reported paying ₹60 for a 2-km ride.
Strong demand for app-based autos
A significant part of the discussion focused on app-based services.
Several residents said they were using Rapido, while others called for services such as Ola, Uber and Namma Yatri to be made available in Belagavi.
One commenter said a Nanawadi–Fort Road journey that earlier cost ₹120–150 was available on Rapido for ₹64–68, while another said an aggregator fare for a roughly 4.5-km Railway Station–Shree Nagar journey would have been around ₹150.
Some residents also suggested that app-based booking gives passengers greater clarity because the fare is known before the journey.
Meter implementation remains the central question
The comments repeatedly returned to one issue: when will calibrated meters actually become the norm for autos in Belagavi?
Residents questioned the status of the administration’s deadline for meter implementation and called for strict enforcement.
One commenter suggested that autos without calibrated meters should be fined and prevented from operating if the administration is serious about enforcing meter fares.
Another pointed out that the debate over metered autos has continued for decades without a lasting solution.
Other concerns raised by residents
The discussion also brought up issues beyond fares, including:
- Alleged overloading of autos, particularly school-going children.
- Enforcement of traffic rules.
- The need to check autos operating without registration or calibrated meters.
- Complaints about fares at the Central Bus Stand and Railway Station.
- Questions about the functioning of prepaid auto facilities.
- The need for better city bus connectivity.
- Concerns over passengers facing difficulty when booking app-based autos.
One resident argued that better city bus frequency and wider coverage could reduce dependence on autos and, consequently, the pressure on passengers to accept whatever fare is demanded.
The bigger question for Belagavi
The comments are individual passenger experiences and have not been independently verified by AAB. They should therefore not be treated as a formal survey of auto fares across the city.
But the large number of responses does highlight a consistent public concern: there is a perceived gap between the prescribed fare system and what some passengers say they are actually paying.
With the RTO stating that around 1,600 autos have undergone meter calibration, residents now want clarity on how many autos are actually operating with functioning meters, whether passengers are being charged according to the prescribed fare, and what action is being taken when meters are not used.
For many passengers, the question is simple: If the meter is calibrated, why is the fare still being negotiated?
The fare and distance figures in this report are based on comments posted by residents on the AAB Facebook post and are presented as their individual experiences