Private buses can charge maximum of 50 per cent more for each km: State
The move aims to stop private bus operators from charging arbitrary fares.
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Recently, private bus operators had hiked fares by 25 to 50 per cent due to summer vacation and the wedding season. File
The state government on Friday fixed the maximum fare that can be charged by private buses, six years after it was asked to do so by the Bombay High Court. The first-of-its-kind directive was issued by the state government to stop private bus operators from charging arbitrary fares during holidays or festive seasons.
As per a government resolution (GR), private bus operators can charge a maximum of 50 per cent more for each kilometre, as compared to the fares charged by the state-owned Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses in the same category (such as AC seater, non-AC seater, non-AC sleeper, AC-sleeper).
The MSRTC operates five types of buses and their fares range between Rs 6.30 per km and Rs 15.88 per km. In absence of any regulations pertaining to fares, private bus operators often charged exorbitant fares during holidays or festive seasons, stated the GR. In April 2012, while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Pune-based social activist Asim Sarode, the High Court had directed the state to fix the fare of private buses plying on the contract carriage permit, stated the GR.
The state government had then asked the Pune-based Central Institute of Road Transport to come up with a formula to calculate the maximum fare for private buses. The move will come as a great relief for migrant workers and students who come to Pune from Beed, Latur, Nagpur, Osmanabad, Aurangabad, Nashik, Amravati, Jalgaon and other cities across the state.
Recently, private bus operators had hiked fared by 25 to 50 per cent due to summer vacation and the wedding season.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Diwakar Raote said, “Action will be taken against buses that are found to be overcharging passengers and their transport licences will be cancelled.”
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