Punjab govt hikes bus fares by 23 paise/km

The move comes two days after the state government announced an increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel by 61 paise per litre and 92 paise per litre, respectively.

The Punjab transport department on Saturday announced a hike in bus fares by 23 paise per km for ordinary buses due to rise in fuel prices.

Punjab Roadways general manager Navraj Batish said the revised fares will apply to all buses, including those run by Punjab Roadways, PRTC and private players, across the state. (HT File)

The move comes two days after the state government announced an increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel by 61 paise per litre and 92 paise per litre, respectively.

According to a notification issued by the department under Section 67 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, on Saturday, the fare for ordinary buses was raised by 23 paise per passenger per kilometre to 145 paise.

The fare of HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) buses has been hiked by 28 paise to 174 paise per passenger per kilometre.

The fare for the integral coach has been raised by 41 paise to 261 paise and the fare of super integral coach by 46 paise to 290 paise.

Punjab Roadways general manager Navraj Batish said the revised fares will apply to all buses, including those run by Punjab Roadways, PRTC and private players, across the state.

“The fare hike was overdue as the last increase was three-four years ago. The move is expected to boost the transport department’s revenue, which has been severely impacted by free bus travel facility for women,” he said.

According to the notification, fares will be rounded off to the nearest ₹5 even when the calculated amount is a fraction more than ₹2.5. For instance, if the fare is ₹12.5, passengers will have to pay ₹15.

Bus Union president at Ludhiana depot Shamsher Singh said: “The cash strapped government is giving freebees and now to bear the financial burden, it is burning a hole in the common man’s pocket.”