Kurla BEST bus crash: Autorickshaw drivers charged hefty fare as bus services remained shut

mid-day’s reporters seen haggling with auto drivers. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The temporary suspension of BEST bus services following a fatal accident at Kurla railway station has left commuters stranded and vulnerable to exploitation by autorickshaw drivers. Over the past three days, passengers have been charged exorbitant fares, with many forced to pay R250-R300 for short distances, as alternative transport options remained unavailable. A mid-day investigation revealed a sharp rise in overcharging and refusal to ply by meter, pushing desperate commuters - including women and senior citizens - to chase shared autos or negotiate inflated fares.

In a recent investigation by the mid-day team, reporters found that autorickshaw drivers were demanding exorbitant fares, ranging from R250 to R300, for a trip of just 4.2 kilometres, from Kurla to Kherwadi in Bandra East.

One lane, dedicated to ‘metered autorickshaws,' appeared deserted when the mid-day team visited the spot just before the resumption of BEST bus services on Friday morning between 8 am and 11 am.

With no metered rickshaws in sight, passengers were left standing in a queue, waiting for transportation. In an effort to reach their destinations on time, commuters - including female passengers and the elderly - were seen chasing after shared three-wheelers, trying to secure a ride. This overcharging comes at a time when commuters are left with few affordable alternatives, as the suspension of bus services has limited transport options.

The situation highlights the vulnerability of passengers in the absence of regular public transport, allowing unscrupulous drivers to take advantage of the circumstances. Such fare hikes raise concerns about the need for better regulation and enforcement to prevent exploitation and ensure fair pricing for commuters.

Driver 1

Reporter: Will you go to Bandra?
Auto Driver 1: 99.9 per cent of autorickshaw drivers will not go by meter. The rest depends on your luck. Where do you need to go in Bandra?
Reporter: Near Chetana College, Bandra East. But why aren't drivers willing to go by meter?
Driver: There was a big accident early this week in which seven people died. The bus services are suspended (now resumed).
Tell me the exact location near Chetana College, and I'll charge a little more than the meter.
Reporter: How much will you charge?
Driver: Rs 250, because I'll take you via a different route as the other roads are absolutely packed. But if you go by shared auto, you need to change two rickshaws to reach your destination. Also, they'll charge you less. But I'll charge Rs 250.
Reporter: Then let's go by meter…
Driver: No, no, I won't go by meter. Since I saw you contacting dozens of drivers, I thought to contact you if you want to ride in my auto.
Reporter: Okay.
[After 5 minutes, Driver 1 accosted the undercover reporters again]
Driver: Okay, listen… let's go for Rs 240.
Reporter: No, no, that's too much.
Driver: Okay… I can reduce it by another Rs 10… let's go for Rs 230 now.

Driver 2

Reporter: Will you go near Chetana College, Bandra East? How much does a shared auto cost?
Driver: A shared auto will cost either Rs 40 or Rs 50. But no one will go by meter.
I can take you to your destination for Rs 250.
Reporter: Rs 250 is too much!
Driver: Then take a bus from LBS (Lal Bahadur Shastri) Marg.

Driver 3

Reporter: I want to go to Lokmanya Tilak (Kurla) Terminus.
Auto Driver: How many passengers are with you?
Reporter: There are two of us.
Auto Driver: Yes, I'm ready to go, but the fare will be Rs 180.
Reporter: Does that mean you will run the auto on the meter?
Auto Driver: No, we're not using the meter rates.
Reporter: I haven't found a single auto in the last 30 minutes, and none of the drivers are willing to come here. How much will you charge to go to Bandra Terminus?
Auto Driver: It will cost you Rs 250 to Bandra Terminus, without using the meter.
Reporter: That's too expensive.
Auto Driver: Yes, but you'll reach your destination in just 20 minutes. On the way back, I won't find any passengers, so it's a loss for me.

Passengers Speak

Besides these, many other drivers refused to ply rickshaws by meter. Many commuters, requesting anonymity, told mid-day that they can't complain to the authorities, fearing their identities will be revealed among drivers, which could lead to further chaos.

"These autorickshaw drivers have been exorbitantly charging passengers right under the noses of traffic police and RTO officials. The authorities concerned are mere mute spectators for reasons best known to everyone," said a commuter, who had been waiting for a rickshaw to go to BKC.

Another passenger, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, "We don't want to indulge in unnecessary arguments with these drivers, who generally gang up to thrash you if you raise your voice. The passengers are not united, but in deep contrast, the drivers are united to loot daily commuters. If I file a complaint, I'll waste my time and energy because the nature of these rogue drivers and policemen will never change."

A passenger, Komal Pawar, who was going to her job on her first day and waiting outside Kurla railway station, said, "I live in Ghatkopar, and today is my first day on the job at BKC. I'm already late because there are no buses available, and autorickshaws are overcharging. I've been waiting for an auto for the last 20 minutes but haven't found a single one. None of the drivers are willing to go by meter. They are taking advantage of the temporary suspension of BEST bus services. I will be very late on my first day at work."

Passenger Sonu Vishwakarma said, "I live in Mulund and need to go to Vakola from Kurla station. I've been waiting for an auto for 45 minutes but haven't found a single one. Not a single auto driver is willing to go by the meter. The bus was much cheaper, and now autorickshaws are overcharging. Auto drivers are taking advantage of the situation, charging Rs 250-300 for the distance from Kurla to Vakola. The police should take action against them."

Another passenger, Kiran Gaikwad, said, "I live in Sion and need to go near the Hyatt Hotel. I've been waiting for an auto for 15 minutes but haven't found one. None of the auto drivers are willing to go by the meter. Earlier, they charged R30 for a shared ride, but today they are charging R50 per passenger in a shared auto. It's blatant exploitation by the auto drivers. One driver told me that they would charge R50 for the fourth seat, and I would have to sit next to the driver; if I sit in the back, they would charge meR60."

Another passenger, Hitesh Pawar, said, "I live in Sion and want to go to Phoenix Mall. It's only about 2.7 kilometres from Kurla railway station, but auto drivers are randomly charging R200. I've been standing in the queue for 20-30 minutes, but there hasn't been a single auto available. In shared autos, the drivers are charging R50. It's very challenging for us to get to work on time."

IT professional Rohan Harugade had been getting late to reach Vile Parle from Kurla, where he was seen struggling to get a rickshaw. "I've been waiting here for more than 30 minutes to get a rickshaw to Vile Parle. I was supposed to reach on time for a job interview, but now I'm getting very late," Harugade said.