Govt readies proposal for 7% hike in passenger fare
Arvind Sharma
Jammu Tawi, Mar 10: The people will now have to pay much more for travelling in the e-bus as the government has decided to hike the passenger fare of all the two hundred (200) e-buses operating across the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) by 7% to overcome the massive revenue losses it has been facing since the last more than couple of years.
The proposal in this regard has already been prepared by the government keeping in view the various factors like routes, frequency of buses, operational and maintenance cost etc.
“The fare for the passengers travelling in the e-buses will be hiked by 7% and the new rates will be applicable from 1st of April,” official sources informed the Northlines, while wishing not to be named.
They further informed that that proposal for fare hike of all the e-buses has almost been finalized and will soon be sent to the Housing and Urban Development Department for its formal approval.
However, the new rates will not be meant for the females and they will continue to travel free in all the e-buses, they said.
They said that the decision to hike the passenger fare has been taken to overcome the mammoth revenue losses which the e-buses have been facing, especially after the government announced free service for females.
We have been facing huge revenue losses of around Rs 3 crores every month ever since the free e-bus service was announced for females in this UT, they informed.
Sources further informed that since the last more than couple of years, the government is not even been able to bear the operational and maintenance cost of the e-buses in J&K besides giving salaries to drivers, helpers and other staff involved in the operation of these buses.
The free service for women in the e-buses was announced by the National Conference (NC) led government in J&K as the NC had promised the same in its manifesto.
The 200 e-buses, which are part of the Smart City Project, consist of 100 buses each in Jammu and Srinagar. These e-buses began operating in Jammu and Srinagar in January 2024, after the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah flagged off the eco-friendly buses.
