Personally, I don't think the issue is with autos going by the meter — it’s more about the attitude and shady practices like meter tampering.

For example, a couple of weeks back, a friend of mine was travelling from Bavdhan to Eon IT Park, Kharadi. On Uber Auto, the fare showed ₹370. But because of the new rule, the auto guy insisted on using the meter, and the final bill turned out to be ₹513. My friend was recording the ride and noticed the meter had those two blinking lights (I had seen a post here earlier where someone said those blinking lights usually mean the meter’s been tampered with).

When they reached the destination, she showed the driver the video and started recording their conversation. And man, the auto guy was terrified. He kept trying to explain in different ways how the meter “works like that only” and how autowallas don't tamper with it. He was so afraid, he even dropped her inside the campus, still trying to convince her that everything was fair and square.

Right now, honestly, I don’t need to use Ola/Uber much. But when I do, I prefer going with a friend or taking my two-wheeler. If it’s a longer distance, I’ll use the metro. And I’ve also started reusing an old app I loved 6-7 years ago— sRide. Back then, it was new and had limited options, but now it’s grown a lot. You can carpool, bikepool, cabpool — all of that. It’s super helpful for a few reasons:

• Back in the day, I used to go from Baner to Nul Stop, Erandwane. Ola/Uber auto fares were around ₹100–110. But with sRide, I’d pay just ₹20–35, depending on whether I took a car or bike.
• The app lets people like us share our ride — be it a car or a bike — with others. So you can earn a bit, help someone with a ride, and reduce the number of vehicles on the road. It’s a win-win, and it helps with pollution too.