MSRTC bus fares go up by 6%

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation has decided to increase bus fares on all its services by an average of 6.25 per cent.

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has decided to increase bus fares on all its services by an average of 6.25 per cent.

Justifying its act,the transport body administration said the step was taken due to increase in diesel prices. The MSRTC was incurring a loss of about Rs 15 lakh daily due to increase in diesel price. The proposal for the fare hike was tabled before the state transport authority and has been approved, said an MSRTC official.

The state transport body that runs 15,500 buses had reviewed its fares in July 2011. Now,a passenger travelling in a Shivneri bus from Pune to Dadar,Borivali or Thane will have to pay Rs 20 more,while those travelling from Pune to Nashik and Aurangabad will have to pay Rs 30 more.

The semi-luxury Sheetal bus service on Pune-Mumbai will also be dearer by Rs 14. The existing fare of Rs 230 will increase to Rs 244. The fare for Pune-Dadar Asiad service has gone up by Rs 10 and the fare for Pune to Nagpur and Amravati has increased by Rs 50 and Rs 40 respectively.

The MSRTC has appointed one-member Hakim committee which will come up with a formula to decide fare hikes in future. Former union secretary P M A Hakim,who recently submitted a fare hike formula for autos and taxis,will be looking into various factors,including taxes and administrative expenses of MSRTC,before deciding on the new fare hike formula.

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