From Saturday commuters who travel by MSRTC buses will experience 14.95% higher fares. New pricing regulations were approved on Friday based on recommendations from the Hakim Committee and this change will affect all transportation services throughout the MSRTC network. MSRTC maintains India’s largest public transportation system by operating 15,000 buses to transport 55 lakh daily passengers. The fare increase will enable the transportation business to manage increasing operation expenses while allowing them to provide better services.
MSRTC officials clarified that the fare increase enables funding for present operations and planned investments in new bus purchases and conversion of some buses to CNG-powered ones.
Fare price of other transportation also increased
However, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) also approved higher rates for auto-rickshaws and taxis and AC cool cabs. Beginning on February 1 auto-rickshaw fares will move up to Rs 26 while taxi base fares will climb from Rs 28 to Rs 31. Users of blue-and-silver AC cool cabs will see their base fare increase from Rs 40 to Rs 48 when traveling the first 1.5 kilometers.
The recent fare hikes throughout Maharashtra will affect residents as well as passengers who travel longer distances through higher costs for both groups of users.
