Puducherry govt hikes bus fares after 5 yr gap

After a five year gap, the Puducherry government today hiked bus fares for Express, ordinary, Town Services, Air Conditioned and non AC vehicles.
Transport Commissioner S D Sundaresan in a release said the hike after five years was in response to the plea by the Association of Puducherry Bus (Stage Carriage) Owners, which had requested the government to consider increase in cost of fuel, lubricants, tyres and other costs of operation.
The Department adopted the fare revision mechanism suggested by Delhi Integrated Multi Model Transit System, who had prepared the Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Puducherry, he said.
A Government Order was issued today to implement the revised bus fares immediately.

As per the G.O., new fares for Express, ordinary, Town Services and for AC and non AC vehicles have been revised.
For town bus services within Puducherry, the minimum rate fixed for the first stage(three km) would not exceed Rs 5.For subsequent stages Rs 2 would be charged additionally.

The release saidstage carriages other than express stage carriages plying within the limits of the union territory initially for a distance upto six kms would be charged a fare not exceeding Rs 8 and 75 paise for every additional km.
For express stage carriages operating within the UT limits initially for a distance up to 25 kms a fare not exceeding Rs 25 has been fixed. For every additional kilometre a fare of 90 paise per km would be collected.

The release said a new fare for AC buses has been introduced and would be twice the fare of non AC buses.
For town buses plying between 11 PM and 4 AM as night services the fare would be double that fixed for town buses.
The release said GST as fixed by the government would be collected in addition to the fare, wherever applicable.
For buses plying in neighbouring states the fare fixed by the respective State governments alone would apply.
The opposition AIADMK and the BJP separtely condemned in the sudden bus fare hike.
AIADMK legislture wing leader A Anbalagan demanded that the hike be withdrawn and views and opinions of legislators legislators be obtained.

He said the increase would hit common man and the hike should be rescinded.
BJP local unit president V Saminathan criticised the hikeand that poor people and also those coming to hospitals for treatment from distant areas would face hardship .
He demanded an immediate rollback in the fare.