Shimla: Following the increase in the prices of diesel, the Himachal Pradesh government has increased bus fare upto 24 percent and fixed the minimal bus fare to Rs. 6 for maximum distance of three kms. The state Cabinet accorded its necessary approval in today’s meeting.
Bus fare is increased 24.44 percent in plain areas and 20.69 percent in hilly areas in all categories of services i.e. Ordinary buses, Deluxe buses and Volvo buses.
The minimum fare has been fixed as Rs. 6/- and the maximum distance for which this fare will be applicable shall be 3 kms.
The fare approved are comparable with those prevailing in neighbouring states of Punjab (for plain areas Rs. 1.10 paisa per km for ordinary) and Uttrakhand (for hilly areas Rs. 1.72 paisa for ordinary) which were fixed by Uttrakhand in 2017 (October) and about 3 months back in Punjab.
The bus fares were increased in the years 2010 and 2013 in the past and the percentage increase in the year 2010 compared to previous fare was 33.33 percent and in the year 2013 the increase was 30.63 percent.
The time span during which the fares were increased was only 3 years. However the present hike has come after a long period of 5 years and the percentage increase in the fare is
Recently on 10th September, private bus operators were on strike and demanding 50 percent hike in fare and Rs. 10 a minimum fare.
