TN likely to approve fare hike for pvt bus operators

The Tamil Nadu government, after seven years, is expected to approve a bus fare hike for private operators soon based on a Madras High Court direction.

- B ANBUSELVAN @Chennai

However, in a first, the state, which operates nearly 80% of buses in TN, is unlikely to revise fares for its own fleet with Assembly polls just eight months away, due to fears of a public backlash and the potential electoral fallout.

The fare revision also includes plans to introduce an automatic fare adjustment mechanism, tied to operational variables such as fuel prices, employee wages, the wholesale price index, and other economic indicators. According to official sources, the expert committee headed by the Transport Commissioner, which was formed in response to the court directive, received over 2,500 suggestions from the public between January and June this year. "We held separate consultations with both private operators and officials from the eight state transport undertakings. Public feedback has been mixed, with some supporting and others opposing a fare hike," a senior official said.