The Karnataka government on Thursday increased the minimum fares for all app-hailed cab services like Uber and Ola running in Bengaluru and rest of the state. With this modification, the minimum fare for a cab ride will now be Rs 75. 

The price caps have been put in place based on the price of the vehicles which often correspond to the types of vehicle— hatchback, sedan and SUV. The aggregators also price their service based on these three variants.

Read: Debt, diesel prices pushed Bengaluru cab driver to suicide, say colleagues

For vehicle value- till Rs 5 lakh, minimum fare upto 4 km- Rs 75, additional fare per kilometre can be between Rs 18-Rs 36

For vehicle value- Rs 5 lakh-10 lakh, minimum fare upto 4 km- Rs 100, additional fare per kilometre can be between Rs 21-Rs 42

For vehicle value- Rs 10 lakh-16 lakh, minimum fare upto 4 km- Rs 120, additional fare per kilometre can be between Rs 24-Rs 48

For vehicle value- Rs 16 lakh and more, minimum fare upto 4 km- Rs 150, additional fare per kilometre can be between Rs 27-Rs 54

In addition to these fares, some operators usually ask customers to pay GST of 5% and a booking or convinence fee.

What prompted the change

The decision from the government comes after protests were held on Wednesday prompted by the death of one 34-year-old airport cab driver. Prathap Kumar K  succumbed to his injuries after he had immolated himself at the airport premises on Tuesday in protest of the financial distress indirectly due to low prices of Ola and Uber. Prathap was driving a KSTDC airport taxi but drivers like him were suffering as customers were choosing Uber and Ola for their cheaper rates. Meanwhile, app hailed cab drivers were also unhappy with the prices as they were left short changed in wake of high fuel prices.

In February, fares of non-app hailed cab fares were also revised. With that, for non-air conditioned taxis, the rate for the first four kilometres will be fixed at Rs 75, after which passengers will be charged Rs 18 per kilometre. For air conditioned taxis, the rate for the first four kilometres will be Rs 100, and Rs 24 for each subsequent kilometre.