Officials confirmed the auto and taxi fare hike and said rising fuel prices and higher operating costs necessitated the increase. (Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)Auto rickshaw and taxi rides across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) are set to get costlier, with the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) approving an increase in base fares to Rs 27 for auto rickshaws and Rs 33 for taxis amid rising petrol and diesel prices. The revised fares cover the first 1.5 km.After the fare hike, the base fare for autos will rise by Re 1, while that for the taxis or kali-peelis will increase by Rs 2.The decision was taken at an MMRTA meeting, chaired by Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Sethi on Thursday and attended by senior transport officials.Officials confirmed the auto and taxi fare hike and said rising fuel prices and higher operating costs necessitated the increase. “An increase in the overall cost of fuel, including CNG and petrol, which in turn raised operating costs for auto rickshaws and taxis, warranted the hike,” a senior transport official said.The revised fares are likely to come into effect in the coming weeks after the MMRTA issues a notification to the concerned regional transport offices (RTOs).The approval follows repeated pleas by auto rickshaw and taxi unions who sought a fare revision in view of rising operational expenses.Story continues below this adIn May, after Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) increased CNG prices to Rs 86 per kg, the Mumbai Rickshawmen’s Union had sought a fare increase of Rs 1.12 per kilometre.Accordingly, Auto Union leader Thampy Kurien welcomed the decision and cited higher fuel prices and changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) as factors behind the revision.The fare hike is based on the recommendations of the 2017 BC Khatua Committee report, which considers factors including fuel prices, vehicle costs, loan interest rates, CPI, and government taxes while determining fare revisions.The previous fare hike was implemented in February 2025, when auto rickshaw and taxi fares were increased by Rs 3, taking the base fares to Rs 26 and Rs 31, respectively. Before that, auto rickshaw and taxi fares were hiked in October 2022 and March 2021 after a six year stability.