Private bus, cab and tourist transport operators in Pune have announced a 15-30% fare increase from November 1, citing rising fuel, spare-parts, taxation, compliance and vehicle costs. School bus fares will also rise, but the revised rates will take effect from the next academic year, according to the Pune District Bus and Car Owners Association.
Rajan Junawane, president of the association, said the last fare revision for most private transport services was made in 2021. He said operators had since faced a sharp increase in their fixed and operating expenses, leaving them with little choice but to raise fares.
“The last time we revised fares was in 2021, except for school buses. Since then, the cost of everything, from fuel to spare parts, has increased manifold,” Junawane said.
The association estimates that Pune has around 11,500 school buses, 35,000 staff transport buses, and about 20,000 tourist cars and 20,000 tourist buses. The fare revision is therefore expected to affect several segments of the city’s privately operated transport network, including employee commutes, school travel and tourist movement.
According to Junawane, the price of a pair of bus tyres has increased from Rs 32,000 in 2021 to Rs 52,000. He also said that the transition from BS-IV to BS-VI vehicles had increased the cost of acquiring and operating vehicles. A tempo traveller that cost about Rs 12.5 lakh in 2021 now costs around Rs 22 lakh, he said.
Operators also cited higher taxes and compliance expenses. Junawane said non-AC 45-seater buses pay annual tax of Rs 1,900 per seat, while AC buses pay Rs 6,500 per seat. He said spare-parts costs had risen by about 50% over five years and that new fire-safety regulations for school buses would add to compliance costs.
The association also raised concerns about the e-challan system, alleging that operators continue to face arbitrary fines despite assurances that the system would be reviewed. Transporters had organised a one-day chakka jam earlier this year to protest against the issue, according to the report.
Junawane said operators must continue meeting employee wages, bank equated monthly instalments and other fixed expenses even when revenues fluctuate. He added that some operators were considering leaving the business and warned that competition was becoming increasingly difficult as companies attempted to remain viable.
The fare decision comes amid a broader dispute between private transport operators and the state transport administration. Junawane alleged that the state transport minister and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation chairperson Pratap Sarnaik had focused on the development of the state-run undertaking while private operators had not received comparable relief. The association has called for greater attention to the financial and regulatory pressures facing private services.
The revised fares are scheduled to come into effect on November 1 for office transport buses, tourist buses and cabs. School bus operators will implement their revised rates from the next academic year.
