Private bus operators hike fares by 18%; commuters cry foul

Ranchi: The Jharkhand Bus Owners’ Association, which represents private operators, on Friday announced an 18% hike in fares, citing the surging cost of fuel with diesel breaching the Rs 100 per litre mark.

Arun Budhia, president of the association, said, “The last fare revision occurred on July 1, 2021. Over the past 59 months, new toll plazas have sprung up across various routes. Furthermore, the crisis in West Asia has driven diesel prices past Rs 100 per litre, causing huge losses for the owners.”

The 18% increase, according to the association, is a necessary measure for operators to stay afloat.

Following the announcement, fare for buses travelling from Ranchi to Garhwa jumped from Rs 400 to Rs 470, and a ticket to Palamu will now cost Rs 415, instead of Rs 350. Passengers heading to Gumla will have to pay Rs 240, up from Rs 200. The fare for Simdega has increased from Rs 230 to Rs 270. Long-distance interstate routes have not been spared either, with the fare from Ranchi to Patna and Ranchi to Kolkata rising from Rs 500 to Rs 590.

The announcement was criticised by the Jharkhand Yatri Sangh (passengers’ association). In an emergency meeting chaired by sangh president Prem Mittal on Friday, the office-bearers unanimously opposed the arbitrary hike.

Mittal said, “Under the Motor Vehicles Act, the authority to determine transport fares rests solely with the transport department. No passenger vehicle operator possesses the legal right to fix fares at their own discretion.”

Mittal questioned the mathematics behind the decision, arguing there is absolutely no justification for an 18% fare hike when diesel prices have only risen by 5%. He highlighted that bus and tempo fares in Ranchi and across the state are already among the highest in the country.

Expressing surprise at reports of the Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FJCCI) holding talks with bus operators to determine rates, Mittal said, “Fixing fares is strictly the govt’s duty, and the chamber should restrict itself to offering suggestions. We demand immediate intervention from the transport secretary to prevent the exploitation of the public.”