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In the red, BEST moots fare hike

If BEST is to be believed, commuters may soon have to face a fare hike.

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If BEST is to be believed, commuters may soon have to face a fare hike. The undertaking said on Thursday that it was in a deep financial crisis and had even delayed its employees’ salaries by more than a week, besides getting rid of certain routes.

“There is a serious financial crisis. We usually dispense salaries by the second of the month. This time we will be able to arrange money only by the seventh,” said Om Prakash Gupta, BEST general manager.

“Agreed, BEST is a public transport, but there are limitations to the subsidy that it can give. An immediate fare hike could salvage the situation,” he said.

Sena leaders in the BEST said that the new committee about to take charge later this month was best suited for the decision. They said they had also cancelled 15 loss-making routes with immediate effect, and that a fare hike was necessary to correct finances.

The BEST’s transport wing has evidently been running at a loss; by raising the minimum fare and subsequent tariffs, the company is expecting to fill the gap between revenue and expenditure. This is the reason the BEST administration has suggested a hike in bus fare by one rupee, and an increase in electricity charges by 15% in the island city.

This means that the minimum ticket on BEST will be raised from Rs 4 to Rs 5 for the first 2 km, and as the distance increases, the hike will go up from Rs 2 to Rs 3.

While the minimum fare for ordinary and limited buses will be Rs 5, the same for express buses will be Rs 6, and that for air-conditioned (super) and air-conditioned (fast) services will be Rs 15.

“This hike will more or less increase revenue, and stabilise the financial position,’’ an official said.

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