Pune private bus fares are set to increase by 20–25% after the Pune Bus and Car Owners Association cited sharp rises in vehicle prices, fuel, maintenance, tolls, taxes and compliance costs. The revision will affect private, tourist, school and staff buses operating across Pune and nearby areas.
Association president Rajan Junawane announced the decision at a press conference at Patrakar Bhavan, saying rates had remained unchanged for five years even as operating expenses increased substantially. He said the continued operation of buses at existing rates had become financially difficult for transport operators.
The revised rates will primarily apply to buses with seating capacities ranging from 13 to 49 passengers. The affected services include buses hired for private functions, educational excursions, weddings, religious pilgrimages and staff transport, as well as school buses carrying students and buses used by companies.
Junawane said the association has about 1,400 members involved in passenger transport services in Pune and surrounding areas. The fare revision is expected to affect schools, colleges, companies and other organisations that regularly hire buses for student and employee transportation.
Association secretary Tushar Jagtap said the cost of vehicles and essential spare parts had increased considerably. According to him, the prices of minibuses, Tempo Travellers and other buses had doubled, while tyre prices had risen by 50%. Oil prices had increased by 70–80%, and AdBlue had added another operating expense. Jagtap also cited higher prices for spare parts and batteries.
The association said operators were also facing increased expenses related to drivers’ salaries and allowances, Regional Transport Office vehicle inspections and fitness certifications, insurance premiums, government e-challan fines and other regulatory requirements. Jagtap said the increase was necessary to sustain transport businesses and protect the livelihoods linked to them.
The new per-kilometre rates will vary according to vehicle capacity. For a 17-seater bus, the rate will rise from Rs 23 to Rs 27 per kilometre, while the rate for a 20-seater will increase from Rs 25 to Rs 30. The rate for a 32-seater will move from Rs 33 to Rs 38, and the 35-seater rate will rise from Rs 36 to Rs 42.
For larger buses, the rate for a 40-seater will increase from Rs 41 to Rs 45 per kilometre. The rates for 45-seater and 49-seater buses will both rise from Rs 45 to Rs 55 per kilometre. School bus fares are expected to increase from the next academic year, according to the association.
The announcement places additional cost pressure on institutions and households that depend on contracted buses rather than public transport for school commutes, employee transport and group travel. The association has attributed the revision to operating costs and said the new rates are intended to ensure the continued availability of passenger transport services.
