Chandigarh, July 8 -- Passengers will now have to pay more for cabs, auto-rickshaws and bike taxis in the city as the UT administration on Monday announced a revised fare structure - a first in three years.

As per the notification, operators can now charge a flat fare for the first three kilometres, regardless of the actual distance travelled. This means passengers will now pay for a minimum of three kilometres even if their journey is shorter-replacing the earlier per-kilometre billing model (see box).

Additionally, the fare structure for both AC and non-AC taxis/cabs have been unified.

Ramesh Ahuja, president of the taxi union, said the new fares may not offer any real benefit to taxi operators due to stiff competition in the market....