Amid another ‘Peak Bengaluru’ moment, the spotlight this time is not on its usual tech-savvy reputation or notorious traffic, but rather on a seemingly ordinary auto ride taken by a Mumbai-based CEO. Bengaluru, known as the IT Capital of India, has earned a reputation for autos charging exorbitant fares, unlike Mumbai, where auto rickshaws predominantly rely on meters for fair pricing. However, this particular incident left the Mumbaikar surprised and taken aback when he was charged a staggering Rs 100 for a mere 500-meter auto ride in Bengaluru. Astonished by this peculiar incident, he decided to share his experience on social media.
Mandar Natekar, co-founder and CEO of NeuralGarage, took to X (formerly Twitter) to post a photo of the vehicle’s meter, humourously commenting, “In this photo, you will see the most ornamental thing in Bengaluru. The great Auto Meter. So expensive that it never gets used.” He further revealed, “I just paid 100Rs for a 500 mtrs ride. To give perspective, in Mumbai 100Rs is the meter fare for approx 9 kms.” This experience became what he termed a “peak Bengaluru” moment.
As the post went viral, people shared their own perspectives, with TVF president Vijay Koshy even remarking on Chennai’s notorious auto rides. Natekar expressed his astonishment, stating, “It is ridiculous, to say the least, but seems like this highway robbery is not legit. No one bothers.”
Various comments poured in, highlighting the differing practices across cities, with one person noting, “It varies city to city; they do charge more if you’re from another city… But we have to pay. In Mumbai, we do get [metered fares] but not in other cities.”
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Some turned the incident into sarcasm, jesting, “Now hoping you will give good appraisals to your employees. And you will not set up rules for strict timings.” Another commentator added, “You were lucky… at least he allowed you to board the auto. Normally, they would be happy to sit for the whole day and enjoy!”
Indeed, Bengaluru does stand out!
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