The Odisha government on Tuesday announced a hike in passenger fares for private stage carriage buses under the automatic fare revision mechanism linked to diesel prices. This decision comes days after the All Odisha Bus Owners’ Association (AOBOA) threatened to suspend bus services over rising operational costs.
Revised Fare Structure
According to an order issued by the State Transport Authority (STA), the fare for ordinary buses has been increased from 90 paise per km to 92 paise per km. Express bus fares have gone up from 94 paise to 96 paise per km. Deluxe bus fares have been revised from Rs 1.31 to Rs 1.35 per km, AC Deluxe fares from Rs 1.59 to Rs 1.63 per km, and Super Deluxe fares from Rs 2.47 to Rs 2.53 per km.
Reason for Revision
The revision follows a rise in diesel prices from Rs 95.87 per litre on May 15 to Rs 100.68 per litre on May 31. The STA stated that the increase in fuel prices triggered the automatic fare adjustment mechanism. Transport commissioner Amitabh Thakur said, “The fare revision has been carried out strictly in accordance with the automatic fare adjustment mechanism notified by the government. The increase is linked to the rise in diesel prices.”
Industry Reaction
AOBOA president Debendra Sahoo commented, “We urged the government to revise fares as bus operators were struggling with escalating diesel prices. The decision will provide some relief to operators, though several issues concerning the transport sector still need attention.”
Context
The fare hike comes amid mounting pressure from private bus operators, who recently gave the government a 10-day ultimatum demanding an upward revision of passenger fares to offset rising operational expenses.
