Regularise private bus fare, demands PIL

Private travel operators who ply nearly 60,000 buses across the state to rake in crores, albeit without proper facilities to their passengers and exorbitant charges on weekends and festive seasons, would fall in line if the Bombay High Court directs the state government to formulate a standard rate policy for these buses. This is one of the prayers made in a public interest litigation filed in the court.

The PIL filed by a Pune based NGO Sahyog Trust, states that “During Diwali, weekends and other festivals the private operators on all routes hike ticket prices two  or three-fold. Sometimes the rates for to and fro are different on the same route. Students and employees and their families return to their hometown during Diwali and other festivals are exploited.”

Advocate Asim Sarode who filed the PIL on behalf of the NGO said, “Women face problems as the private buses do not stop at places that have toilets. This leads to a lot of health problems.”

The PIL which has made the state government, RTO and Transport Commissioner as its respondents prays that the high court direct the state to restrain the private bus operators from hiking their fares.

Further, the state has been directed to frame guidelines to make the buses disabled- friendly, as directed the Ministry of Transport.