Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
Private travel operators are permitted to charge a maximum of 1.5 times the ST (State Transport) ticket fare, but this rule seems to exist only on paper. Ahead of Diwali, many private travel operators are reportedly overcharging passengers on several routes. Such operators have now come under the RTO’s (Regional Transport Office) radar, and officials have appealed to passengers to lodge complaints if they are being charged excessive fares.
On certain routes, the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) operates air-conditioned ST seating buses, while private travellers run sleeper coaches on the same routes. Private operators claim that this service difference justifies the fare variation. However, to regulate private transport, the authorities have fixed fare limits, allowing them to charge up to 1.5 times the ST fare, plus applicable GST. This often makes private fares appear higher.
Interestingly, some private operators stated that on a few routes, their fares are actually lower than those of ST buses.
Do not charge excess fare
“Private travellers are allowed to charge up to one and a half times the ST fare, not more than that. If any operator collects fares beyond this limit, passengers should immediately lodge a complaint with the RTO office.”
— Vijay Kathole, Regional Transport Officer