Bengaluru engineers launch ‘Meter Haaki’ to help commuters spot overpriced auto-rickshaw fares

New online fare calculator empowers Bengaluru commuters to compare app-based auto fares with official meter rates, promoting transparency amid rising ride costs.

In Bengaluru, where many commuters feel overcharged by auto-rickshaw aggregators, two local software engineers have introduced a digital solution to promote fare transparency. Anmol Sharma and Yash Garg launched Meter Haaki (meterhaaki.com), a straightforward online calculator that helps passengers verify the correct fare based on official meter tariffs and compare it against what apps charge.

Reflecting on the widespread #MeterHaaki movement advocating fair pricing, the developers emphasized the everyday problem of overpayment due to limited fare awareness. The team is also developing a mobile app, Naviget, to further simplify fare checks.

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The tool incorporates the revised auto fare structure effective August 1, which increased the minimum fare for the first 2 km from Rs 30 to Rs 36 and raised subsequent kilometer charges to Rs 18. Night rates, between 10 pm and 5 am, are set at 1.5 times the regular fare.

To use the platform, commuters find their trip distance, request the driver to start the meter, note the distance and waiting time at journey end, then input this data on Meter Haaki to calculate the official fare. This can then be compared with the app’s charged amount to detect discrepancies.

This initiative arrives against a backdrop of ongoing complaints about inflated app-based auto fares in Bengaluru, driven by surge pricing and hidden fees, often disregarding government-mandated meter usage despite court orders. Meter Haaki offers a timely digital tool to restore fairness and accountability in the city’s auto transport sector.

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