Thiruvananthapuram: The State Government has retracted its decision to offer free rides in auto-rickshaws if their fare meters are dysfunctional.

In a recent circular, the Transport Commissioner had directed all auto-rickshaws in the state to display a sticker informing passengers that travel would be free if the meter was faulty or not engaged. The message was also required to be displayed in English for the convenience of tourists.

The State Transport Authority had initially made this rule mandatory, even linking it to the fitness certification of auto-rickshaws. The directive, which was set to take effect from March 1, aimed to resolve ongoing disputes between passengers and drivers over meter fares.

However, the decision faced strong opposition from auto-rickshaw drivers’ unions. A joint council of major trade unions, including CITU, INTUC, BMS, UTUC, STU, and HMS, announced a statewide strike on March 18 in protest. With the government now withdrawing the plan, the unions have called off the strike.

The proposal was inspired by a similar system that was successfully implemented in Dubai taxis. KP Mathias Francis, a resident of Ernakulam, had previously written to the State Transport Authority, urging Kerala to adopt the same system. The Transport Commissioner’s circular had cited this suggestion as one of the key reasons for the original decision.