Source : PTI | An association of bus owners in Jharkhand has increased fares by 18 per cent due to increasing fuel costs, officials said on Friday.
The decision was taken after the diesel price crossed ₹100 per litre, they said.
“We last increased bus fares on July 1, 2021. Over the past 59 months, new toll plazas have been established on different routes. Additionally, due to the crisis in West Asia, diesel prices have crossed ₹100 per litre. As a result, owners have been incurring losses. Therefore, we have increased bus fares by 18 per cent,” said Arun Budhia, president of the Jharkhand Bus Owners’ Association.
If the prices of diesel, tyres, and spare parts decrease in the near future, the fares will be reduced, said Kishore Mantri, former president of the Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industries.
According to the new rates, the fare for buses from Ranchi to Garhwa has increased from ₹400 to ₹470. Similarly, passengers travelling from Ranchi to Palamu will now have to pay ₹415 instead of ₹350.
The fare for Gumla is now ₹240, up from ₹200, and for Simdega, it has been increased from ₹230 to ₹270.
Fares for long-distance routes have also been hiked. The fare from Ranchi to Kolkata has been raised from ₹500 to ₹590, and the same from Ranchi to Patna is now ₹590.
