The General Secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, Mohan Joshi handed a formal request to Regional Transport Officers (RTO) on Thursday, urging them to maintain surveillance and put a stop to unauthorised fare hikes imposed by private bus operators during the festive season. With the festive season drawing near, students, workers and others will be heading home from Pune. During this time, several private bus services tend to hike prices significantly. To address these concerns, Congress leaders have demanded that RTO monitor private bus operators and ensure they do not exceed fare limits set by RTO. Speaking on the issue, Joshi pointed out that private bus operators frequently increase fares during the festive season, which is sheer exploitation of commuters. He said, "During Diwali, there is a significant movement of people from Pune towards rural areas, who book tickets of buses run by private operators and travel companies. The heightened demand causes them to charge 50 percent over the standard rates." "If the usual fare is Rs 200, it shoots up to Rs 300 during this season. This causes financial strain for travelers. The administration needs to take prompt action," he added. Congress leaders have also called for suspension of unauthorised bus services to ensure safety of travelers and to spread awareness about legally prescribed fare rates through advertisements. In response, the RTO has promised to conduct inspections on specific routes after November 1, and take strict action against operators involved in such practices. Sanjeev Bhor, Deputy Commissioner of the RTO, Pune, said, "According to the regulations, private operators are permitted to charge up to 1.5 times the standard fares set by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), but they cannot exceed this limit for buses of the same category. We have deployed four squads in Pune city to address this matter." He also said the RTO, in its Monday meeting with bus owner associations, will urge them not to levy extra charges, or else, they will have to face stringent actions.
