Chennai sources have reported that after a period of six years Tamilnadu government has increased fares of buses which is effective from Saturday, and the fare has been hiked for buses across categories viz moffusil, city, ordinary, express, deluxe, bypass-non-stop, ultra deluxe, air-conditioned and Volvo modes.
Meanwhile according to sources the minimum hike is in moffusil ordinary category, where the present fare of Rs 5 for 10 km would now be Rs 6 (20% hike), the highest is in Volvo buses, where the present fare of Rs 33 for 30 km will now go up to Rs 51 (54.54% hike). Moreover the government cited a host of factors for the hike, including increase in fuel price and maintenance, annual increment in salaries, pension and purchase of new buses to increase efficiency.
Furthermore the government quoted the interim
order as saying, "data furnished in the supporting affidavit shows that
the present bus fare is inadequate to meet, even the operational cost."
Accordingly the court had said, "With the existing funds and resources,
maintenance cost, debt, loss and such other economic factors the need to revise
bus fare, appears to be inevitable, though it may cause inconvenience."
