Bhubaneswar: The Orissa government on Monday
increased the rate of bus fare by 10.23 per cent in view of
the recent hike in fuel prices.
"We have no alternative but to increase the bus fare
due to stiff increase in the price of diesel," said transport
and commerce minister Sanjib Sahoo.
While the fare for general buses has been increased by
four paise per kilometre, passengers travelling in express
buses will have to pay five paise extra per kilometre.
Similarly, the the passengers will now be charged six
paise more per kilometre for travelling in deluxe buses while
the new price would be 85 paise per kilometre in deluxe
air-conditioned buses instead of the earlier price of 78
paise.
The new price for general buses will now be 50 paise
per kilometre, 53 paise for express buses and 70 paise for
deluxe buses, the minister said.
All Indian Private Bus Owners Association (AIPBOA),
however, did not accept the new bus fare. "We had demanded a
hike in fare by 15 per cent. But the government allowed only
10.23 per cent which is too less to meet the additional
expenditure owing to increased fuel and motor parts rate,"
said AIPBOA president Prakash Mishra.
The state government`s decision of increasing the bus
fare by 10.23 per cent was announced considering all factors
including paying capacity of the people, the minister said.
The state government`s technical committee on bus fare
had, however, recommended a hike by 13.09 per cent, sources
said.
PTI
