Govt likely to review city bus fare structure

There is some relief in sight for people travelling by buses in Delhi, reports Atul Mathur.

There is some relief in sight for people travelling by buses in Delhi.

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The state government is contemplating to “rationalise” the fare structure by increasing the scope of the minimum fare from three kilometre to four kilometre. A senior transport department official said a final decision would be taken in a day or two.

According to the revised fare structure, people travelling for three kilometre or less will have to buy a ticket of Rs 5.

Those travelling between four kilometre and 10 kilometre would pay Rs 10 and for a journey exceeding 10 kilometre, the new fare is Rs 15.

Senior transport department officials accepted the new fare structure affected those people most who take the bus for a distance of four kilometre.

For them, the rise in fare is 233 per cent.

Earlier, those travelling up to four kilometre paid Rs 3 and those travelling between four and eight kilometre paid Rs 5.

Earlier the bus stops were grouped on even number basis. “After four kilometre, we issued a ticket for travelling up to six kilometre. So, a person travelling even up to five kilometre was given a Rs 3 ticket,” said a senior Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) official requesting anonymity.

He said now the bus stops have been divided on odd number basis. “So, anyone travelling more than 3 km is immediately issued a Rs 10 ticket,” he said.

“Earlier, I bought a Rs 3 ticket for ITO from Laxmi Nagar. Now, they charge Rs 10,” said Dileep Singh, a courier boy.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president and member of Parliament Jai Prakash Aggarwal indicated possible changes in the fare structure. “The fare hike is really pinching a section of people. The government is looking into it,” said Aggarwal at a press conference on Monday.