Chennai: Diwali travel is getting costlier for Chennai commuters, with autorickshaw fares on aggregator apps rising by ₹80–₹100. During morning peak hours, passengers say auto rides are costing more than cab journeys. Drivers attribute the surge to the festive season, but some app-based auto drivers also demand an additional ₹30–₹80 over the quoted fare, citing poor road conditions and traffic snarls.“Till last week, the apps showed a fare of ₹175 for my 9.3km commute from home to office. Since Tuesday, it has gone up to ₹240, almost matching the revised fare chart. On top of that, auto drivers demand extra. This shows that no matter how much you increase the fares, auto drivers will demand more,” said S Geetha, a Virugambakkam resident who commutes to T Nagar for work.The surge comes days after the state govt doubled auto fares. Under the revised rates, passengers have to pay ₹50 for the first 1.8km, up from ₹25, and ₹25 for each subsequent kilometre. The revision has made Chennai one of the costliest cities for auto rides.
