Auto strike ends; order still missing
Auto unions stood down after talks with Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar. A fare hike is promised “soon”; the only fare on record is still a 2014 order.
The strike was called off; the fare order is still awaited.
Auto unions called off a planned indefinite strike after talks with Telangana’s Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and senior transport officials on Monday night. According to Akashvani, the government said it would examine a fare revision, study a report and issue an order “soon”, and fixed September 1 for a Labour–Transport–union meeting to frame an auto workers’ welfare board. No new fare figure was announced. (Source: News On AIR)
What is on the public record today is unchanged: the Transport Department’s own fare chart still points to G.O.Ms.No.20 dated 14 February 2014 — minimum ₹20 for 1.6 km, ₹11 per subsequent km, and 1.5x between 11 pm and 5 am. That order superseded a 2012 notification. (Source: Transport Department website and G.O.)
The minister has been quoted saying fares haven’t been revised since 2012. The department’s published 2014 order says otherwise; if the point is that the 2014 rates were never implemented uniformly, the government has not put that on paper. The promised ₹12,000 support was not agreed; the minister said it needs discussion with the CM, Deputy CM and Cabinet, subject to finances. (Sources: News On AIR; Telugu report summarising the minister’s remarks)
The unions did their part and stood down. The ball now sits with the Congress government in Telangana to issue the order it keeps promising — and to reconcile its own website with its talking points.