Patna: Commuters across Bihar will face higher travel costs from June 1 after the state Transport Department approved a fare increase of 10% to 15% for approximately 1,500 government-operated buses.
According to the revised fare structure, the rate for ordinary buses covering distances of up to 50 kilometres has increased from Rs 1.50 per kilometre to Rs 1.71 per kilometre. Fares for AC and premium bus services have also been revised upward.
The department issued the notification ahead of the implementation date, citing the new fare structure for various categories of state-run buses.
Revised Fare Structure
The fare for AC Deluxe buses has been increased from Rs 2.00 per kilometre to Rs 2.30 per kilometre.
Standard AC bus fares have been fixed at Rs 2.30 per kilometre, while premium services, including Volvo and Mercedes buses, will charge Rs 2.88 per kilometre.
Private Bus Operators Plan 15% Increase
Following the government’s notification, the Bihar Motor Transport Federation announced that fares for the state’s approximately 40,000 private buses would also be revised.
Uday Shankar Prasad Singh, president of the federation, said a meeting of private bus operators has been convened on Sunday to finalise the fare structure.
He said the meeting would decide whether private bus fares should remain lower than, equal to, or higher than those charged by state-run buses.
Auto-Rickshaw Fares Likely To Increase
Auto-rickshaw passengers may also see higher fares in the coming days.
During a meeting of various auto-rickshaw associations, operators agreed in principle to raise fares by up to 25%. Pappu Yadav, president of the Patna District Auto-Rickshaw Drivers’ Association, said the proposed increase would apply across Bihar, including Patna.
According to the association, a formal proposal regarding the fare revision will be submitted on Monday. If approved, the new auto-rickshaw fares are expected to come into effect after June 5.
