Maharashtra told to clarify stand on 1971 bus ticket surcharge

The Bombay High Court has asked Maharashtra Government to explain how it would use Rs 388.96 crore accumulated by collecting 15 paise surcharge on bus fares since 1971, when it was levied to mop up fund to provide relief to Bangladesh refugees during the Indo-Pak war.
A Bench headed by Justice S J Vajifdar also asked the Government to declare whether it would continue the surcharge, which is being collected by state-run transport bodies for more than four decades.
Hearing a PIL, the Judges yesterday asked the State to file an affidavit on the aforementioned issues by February 21.
The PIL, filed by social worker Vikram Tawade, said an RTI query revealed an amount of Rs 388.96 crore had been collected by charging bus commuters 15 paise surcharge on every ticket to provide relief to the Bangladeshi refugees.

The amount was lying idle with the Government and not being utilised for the purpose it was collected, it said.
The petition alleged that through RTI it had learnt that one of the reasons for increase in crime rate in Mumbai was that refugees were indulging in such activities.

On one hand, no relief was being given to the refugees and on the other hand, they (refugees) were indulging in crime, the petition claimed.
The PIL demanded the authorities either stop collecting the surcharge or use this amount for noble causes like tackling drought, malnutrition and security of women.
The other respondents to the petition include Thane Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation and other transport bodies.

Neha Bhide, the State counsel, said the surcharge was being levied because the ordinance enforcing it was still in force and the amount thus collected was with the Government. A decision on whether this sum should be used for some other purpose or not is yet to be taken, she said.