Passengers travelling by Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) ordinary buses who hoped for a respite from increased fares are in for a disappointment, as they will have to continue paying the 10 per cent temporary hike until July 31, after the state-run transporter extended it by two more weeks. The hike was originally introduced from April 15 to June 15, and later extended until July 15.
Event Context
The extension comes after the scheduled meeting of the State Transport Authority (STA) on Wednesday, which was set to discuss the proposal for a 13.5 per cent fare revision, was cancelled. The meeting has now been rescheduled for today, July 17.
Under the revised seasonal fare structure, the minimum fare for ordinary and midi buses has been rounded to ₹12, while the minimum fare is ₹14 for adult passengers and ₹7 for children.
The continuation of the hike has revived conductors’ concerns about fare calculations. Since the fare increase resulted in ticket prices being rounded to one-rupee increments, conductors frequently face disputes with passengers over change. Employee unions have opposed the current fare structure and demanded that ticket rates be rounded in multiples of ₹5 to reduce such conflicts.
Team Analysis
Pratap Sarnaik, MSRTC Chairman and Maharashtra Transport Minister, said, “The decision to extend the 10 per cent seasonal fare hike until July 31 has been taken after carefully assessing the financial position of MSRTC and the continued increase in diesel prices. Our priority is to ensure uninterrupted bus services across Maharashtra while maintaining the corporation’s financial stability. The State Transport Authority will take an appropriate decision on the proposed fare revision in its upcoming meeting after considering all aspects.”
Match Outlook
The extension has disappointed passengers, many of whom expected the temporary hike to end after the earlier deadline of July 15. Mahendra Gujar, a regular commuter, said, “We accepted the fare hike thinking it was only for a limited period during the summer season. Extending it again is unfair, especially for daily commuters who depend on ST buses because they are affordable.”
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According to MSRTC, the hike extension is necessary due to continuously rising diesel prices and the corporation’s worsening financial condition. The state-run transporter currently consumes nearly 10.87 lakh litres of diesel every day across its 31 divisions. The corporation is also grappling with financial losses with 21 of its divisions, including Kolhapur, Nashik, Nanded and Solapur, operating at a loss.
