New Taxi Fares in Kolkata (Calcutta) effective from 1st November 2012

UPDATE : Now passengers have to pay whatever is displayed on the meter... No extra Addition or Multiplication ... :)

From 1st November 2012 Government of West Bengal has increased taxi and bus fares in Kolkata (Calcutta), as a result people (Passengers in general) are quite confused as the taxi drivers are charging whatever they wish coz the meters are the same only the way to calculate the fare has changed. So just to clear this "air of confusion" I am putting up this post.

Earlier whatever used to be the meter reading we had to double it and then had to add "2" to it... So for example. if the meter reading was "50" then the calculation used to be "50x2 =100+2= 102". This was quite easy and was not a very difficult calculation... also the formula was easy to remember. But now it seems that we have to be either good in maths or we have to carry calculator with us.

According to the new "changes", the new base taxi fare for first two kilometers will be Rs.25 and there will be an increase of Rs.2.40 for every subsequent 200 meters.

Now comes the trickiest part... the "new equation" to calculate the taxi fare.

Meter Reading X 2.4 + 1 = New Fare

For example, If meter reads Rs.20 then the calculation will be 20 X 2.4 = 48 + 1 = Rs. 49.

AC Taxi Fare in Kolkata is now increased by 20% of fare. The base fare for AC taxis will be Rs.32.50 and there will be an increase of Rs.3 for every subsequent 200 meters. The taxi waiting charge is Rs.1.20/- for every 2 minutes 12 seconds. You have to pay Rs.4/- extra for carrying luggage weigh beyond 20Kgs.

The Taxi Association of Bengal is not happy with this increase... they expected more from the government. Also because of this confusing calculation taxi drivers and passengers are often getting into quarrels.

See this article on Telegraph dated 7th November regarding the reckless attitude of taxi drivers even after increase in fares. Click on this link to see the news Fleece & flout despite a fare deal Taxis still refuse or ask for extra.


In case of any complaint against any taxi driver or any kind of traffic violations you can fill the "Complaint Card" of Kolkata Traffic Police on their website. Here is the link http://www.kolkatatrafficpolice.gov.in/Complaint.html

Following are the traffic helpline numbers of Kolkata traffic police.

Toll Free Numbers:-

1) For Vodafone Subscriber -2000, 2001
2) Any Subscriber - 1073

Other Numbers of Traffic Control Room:-

98300-10000,98308-11111,9163360404,9163360404, 9163360405, 9163360406,
2214-1457,2250-5096,2214-3644.

You can also visit Kolkata Traffic Police's Facebook Page for complaints. This Facebook page is really active and quite effective.

Below is Kolkata (Calcutta) new taxi fare conversion chart that is effective from 1st november 2012.

Kolkata (Calcutta) Taxi Fare Conversion Chart - Applicable from 01.11.2012
Meter Reading	Fare Payable	Meter Reading	Fare Payable	Meter Reading	Fare Payable	Meter Reading	Fare Payable
10.00 11.00 12.00 13.00 14.00 15.00 16.00 17.00 18.00 19.00 20.00 21.00 22.00 23.00 24.00 25.00 26.00 27.00 28.00 29.00 30.00 31.00 32.00 33.00 34.00	25.00 27.40 29.80 32.20 34.60 37.00 39.40 41.80 44.20 46.60 49.00 51.40 53.80 56.20 58.60 61.00 63.40 65.80 68.20 70.60 73.00 75.40 77.80 80.20 82.60	35.00 36.00 37.00 38.00 39.00 40.00 41.00 42.00 43.00 44.00 45.00 46.00 47.00 48.00 49.00 50.00 51.00 52.00 53.00 54.00 55.00 56.00 57.00 58.00 59.00	85.00 87.40 89.80 92.20 94.60 97.00 99.40 101.80 104.20 106.60 109.00 111.40 113.80 116.20 118.60 121.00 123.40 125.80 128.20 130.60 133.00 135.40 137.80 140.20 142.60	60.00 61.00 62.00 63.00 64.00 65.00 66.00 67.00 68.00 69.00 70.00 71.00 72.00 73.00 74.00 75.00 76.00 77.00 78.00 79.00 80.00 81.00 82.00 83.00 84.00	145.00 147.40 149.80 152.20 154.60 157.00 159.40 161.80 164.20 166.60 169.00 171.40 173.80 176.20 178.60 181.00 183.40 185.80 188.20 190.60 193.00 195.40 197.80 200.20 202.60	85.00 86.00 87.00 88.00 89.00 90.00 91.00 92.00 93.00 94.00 95.00 96.00 97.00 98.00 99.00 100.00 101.00 102.00 103.00 104.00 105.00 106.00 107.00 108.00 109.00	205.00 207.40 209.80 212.20 214.60 217.00 219.40 221.80 224.20 226.60 229.00 231.40 233.80 236.20 238.60 241.00 243.40 245.80 248.20 250.60 253.00 255.40 257.80 260.20 262.60

You can also download and print the new revised taxi fare chart of Kolkata (Calcutta) from this link http://goo.gl/C3jSd