Bus, minibus fares hiked in Bengal, Task Force formed

The West Bengal government on Monday decided to hike bus and minibus fares in the state by Re one over existing stages of fares in view of hike in diesel prices and cost of spare parts. "The minimum fare for buses will be Rs six and for minibuses Rs seven and will increase by Re one over existing fares in every stage excepting beyond 16 km," senior state minister Partha Chatterjee said after a meeting held by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with bus and minibus operators here.

As such, passengers would have to pay Rs six for travelling four kilometres in the first stage for buses and one rupee more on existing fares in successive stages. For minibuses, the hiked fare would be Rs seven for the first two kilometres and one rupee more every subsequent stage. "However, in all stages beyond 16 km, the hike is likely to be Re two for both bus and minibus," the department sources said.

The new fares would be effective as soon as a notification for the hike is issued by the Transport Department and a new fare structure is ready. "The Chief Minister has also ordered setting up of a task force to suggest future fare revision on the basis of change in fuel and spare parts," Chatterjee, the state Higher Education Minister and member of the GoM on Transport, told reporters.