Woman’s Viral Post Exposes Shocking 4X Surge in App-Based Auto Fares — ₹39 on Meter vs ₹172 on Uber, Sparks Heated Debate
Woman’s Viral Post Exposes Shocking 4X Surge in App-Based Auto Fares — ₹39 on Meter vs ₹172 on Uber, Sparks Heated Debate
Bengaluru’s notorious transport woes are back in the spotlight after a local woman’s viral social media post exposed a massive gap between metered auto fares and app-based prices.
Aditi Srivastava, a city resident, shared her experience on platform X (formerly Twitter). For a short 2.6-kilometre ride, the auto meter showed ₹39, while Uber quoted ₹172.45—over four times higher. Her blunt caption, “The price on meter vs the price on Uber. If you don’t have your own vehicle in Bangalore, you’re s*****,” struck a chord with thousands.
What surprised many was that the auto driver agreed to use the meter at all—a rarity these days. When someone commented, “Woah, you found an auto that agreed to use the meter,” Aditi replied that she’d specifically asked the driver to compare fares.
The post ignited fierce reactions online. Many slammed the stark difference as “absolute exploitation” by ride-hailing platforms. Others noted that while Uber fares are based on supply and demand, Bengaluru’s system remains tangled in opaque policies and local cartels. One user pointed out:
“Uber prices are based on Supply-Demand, while Meter prices are fixed by the government. But Bangalore Govt. & the Auto Mafia don’t let it happen fairly either with bike taxi bans and removing non-Kannadiga autos.”
Some commuters added that even when Uber shows prices close to meter rates, drivers often decline trips. Meanwhile, Ola and Namma Yatri usually confirm bookings—but only at higher rates, often ₹50 more.
“Last couple of days, Uber is showing close to meter fares, but drivers aren’t accepting. Ola and NY do, but it costs extra,” noted another user.
Others highlighted that even private vehicles offer limited relief given Bengaluru’s crippling traffic. As one post put it, “Even your own vehicle barely gives 9 km per litre in this traffic.”
Aditi’s viral post has reignited an old debate: is urban transport in Bengaluru fair, transparent, or affordable? The widening gap between government-set fares and dynamic app prices points to deeper problems—policy loopholes, inconsistent meter use, and frustrated commuters caught in the middle.
As online debates rage on, one thing is clear: Bengaluru’s daily commuters remain stuck—paying the price for a broken system that shows little sign of change.
