Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: State transport minister Pratap Sarnaik on Wednesday announced the formation of a state-level committee to check on arbitrary fares charged by private bus operators and unauthorized ticket booking mobile apps.
Committee Composition and Task
The committee, comprising the joint transport commissioner and three representatives from the social movement 'Surajya Abhiyan', has been tasked with proposing long-term remedial measures to address these issues.
"The government takes a serious view of the arbitrary fare hikes being imposed by private bus operators in the state, and the financial exploitation of passengers through unauthorized mobile applications," Sarnaik said.
Report and Implementation
He stated that the constituted committee would submit a detailed report on controlling fare hikes by private buses and curbing illegal booking applications. "A meeting will be convened once the committee's report is received. Then, the state government would effectively implement the remedial measures suggested by the committee," he added.
Sarnaik emphasized that exorbitant ticket fares are often charged to passengers during festivals or holiday periods. "Strict action must be taken against such passenger bus operators who engage in the financial fleecing of travellers. Under no circumstances would the exploitation of passengers be tolerated," he mentioned.
Transporter's Perspective
Private bus operators have urged the government to take them into confidence before making any decision. "The fare hike occurs during peak business days in light of government rules. Also, the government must address our financial woes during lean business days," said Mubeen Khan, a transporter.
Additional Directives
Separately, Sarnaik directed the transport department to issue a circular regarding the use of grammatically accurate Marathi language, specifically in the context of places whose names have been officially changed. He also stated that concrete steps are being taken to revamp bus stands and ensure permanent cleanliness.
