Shimla, May 8 (PTI) Bus fares in Himachal Pradesh have been increased by more than 12 per cent for long distance routes as per the notification issued by the State Transport department on Thursday, which would come into force with immediate effect.
The notification has directed the State Transport Authority (STA) and Regional Transport Authorities (RTA) to ensure that the fares are charged as per the revised rates.
The government had recently increased the minimum bus fare for short route buses from Rs 5 to Rs 10 for distances up to four kilometre. On Thursday, the per kilometre fare for passengers in ordinary buses has been hiked from Rs 1.40 to Rs 1.60 for roads in plains and Rs 2.19 to Rs 2.50 in hills.
According to the notification, the fare for AC-Super Luxury buses has been fixed at Rs 3.90 per passenger-per Kilometer in plains and Rs 5.90 in hills while the revised per passenger-per Kilometer the fare for Deluxe buses would be Rs 1.95 for roads in plains and Rs 3.10 in the hills.
Earlier, the BJP government had hiked the bus fares by 25 percent in July 2020.
Meanwhile, former state chief minister and leader of the opposition Jai Ram Thakur has criticised the decision of the government to hike bus fares and said that it was unfair to commuters as most of them travel in Himachal Roads Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses.
After increasing the minimum bus fare for short route buses, it was another jolt to the common man, he said in a statement issued here. PTI BPL OZ OZ
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