Auto Rickshaws in Aundh, Pune have started overcharging lately. When I came to Aundh some months back I was told that they ask for Rs. 15 minimum in the evening. Now I see that this practice has started during the day time as well. The approximate charges are 300 meter Rs 15 and above that within Aundh Rs 20.

The authorities seem to have turned a blind eye towards this. Also these autorickshaw wallas stand in a gang and you can't bargain against them. They have started a parallel system of pricing charging almost double of the government approved rates. Every new autowalla that comes in the city seem to join these groups and there is no fare practice remaining.

My main concern is not the rickshaw wallas but the authorities who seem to have agreed with this system of overcharging, either because of vested interest or because of increasing property prices in this area (to get a handsome bribe from the rickshaw wallas who are are exploiting the situation.)

The leaders of these small gangs are becoming ever so confident that this pricing system is slowly getting institutionalized due to people ready to pay. It won't take much time for this surplus income to flow towards anti-social elements in Aundh.