(Pun intended — our meters are on permanent auto-pilot)
While Bengaluru revises its auto fares with mathematical precision (Rs. 36 for 2 km, Rs. 18 thereafter), Belagavi continues to cruise smoothly on the fuel of promises — no meters, no fixed fares, and definitely no accountability.
The RTA meeting to decide Belagavi’s auto fares is still on an indefinite snooze mode — perhaps waiting for Halley’s Comet to pass again. Meanwhile, our auto drivers conduct their own price discovery experiment daily:
- Railway Station to High Street Camp? Starts at Rs. 70, lovingly settles at Rs. 60.
- Military Mahadev to CBT? Begins at Rs. 180, finally “adjusts” to Rs. 150 after three sighs and two hand gestures.
- Night travel? Only divine intervention can help you there.
As for app-based autos and cabs — oh, we tried. But the local auto unions treated those apps like unwanted software updates: ignored, resisted, and eventually deleted.
Why don’t meters work here? A mix of weak enforcement, legacy resistance, and a solid infrastructure of indifference — it’s practically an art form now.
So next time you take an auto in Belagavi, just remember: it’s not a fare… it’s a fare-y tale.