Kejriwal hints at auto fare hike

New Delhi – Delhi’s Chief Minister-designate Arvind Kejriwal said Friday that he will try to get the CNG price hike rolled back, and hinted at a hike in auto rickshaw fare if the rollback was not possible.

“Give me two days, we will see if the CNG price hike can be rolled back. We will talk to the central government. If it is necessary to raise the prices and it cannot be rolled back, auto fares will have to be revised,” Kejriwal told reporters Friday.

Prices of compressed natural gas (CNG), which is used in auto rickshaws and buses, was hiked by nearly 10 percent Thursday midnight, raising it to Rs.50.10 per kg, a hike of Rs.4.50 a kg.

Kejriwal added that he would talk to the auto drivers and address their concerns.

“We will talk to the auto rivers. They have many issues which will be addressed,” he said.

Auto rickshaw unions have played a major role in campaigning for Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the assembly polls by having the party’s posters pasted on their vehicles’ rear.

The auto drivers had also helped AAP in March to ferry about 10 lakh letters against inflated power and water bills to the residence of Sheila Dikshit.

“I had told them earlier, we will have to work from both sides. They have valid problems, we will address them, but auto drivers will have to mend their ways as well. People of delhi are upset with auto drivers,” he said.