The Maharashtra state government is all set to take strict action against the illegal practices going on. The Transport Minister of Maharashtra, Pratap Sarnaik, is setting up a panel to help take action against private bus operators. These operators are accused of an arbitrary bus fare hike, especially during peak travel seasons. The upcoming panel will surely be beneficial to all travelers, as their complaints will be examined and addressed.
Maharashtra Government To Set Up Panel For Bus Fare Hikes
Many Complaints Against Private Bus Operators
The Maharashtra government has lately been receiving a lot of complaints against private bus operators in the state. The complaints include arbitrary hike fares, especially during the peak travel season, such as summer vacation. They also included the exploitation of passengers across the unauthorized ticket-booking applications in Maharashtra.
On Tuesday, Pratap Sarnaik had a meeting with the senior officials. This meeting was attended by transport commissioner Rajesh Narvekar and additional transport commissioner Bharat Kalaskar. The arbitrary price hike was discussed, and the formation of the panel was ordered. This panel will have the Joint Transport Committee, along with about 3 representatives from the Surajya Abhiyaan.
Surajya Abhiyan is a citizen-led good governance initiative initiated by the nonprofit Hindu Janajagruti Samiti.
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राज्यातील खासगी प्रवासी बस वाहतूकदारांकडून केली जाणारी बेकायदेशीर दरवाढ आणि अनधिकृत मोबाईल ॲप्सद्वारे प्रवाशांची होणारी आर्थिक पिळवणूक याबाबत शासन गंभीर आहे. या संदर्भातील तक्रारींचे निराकरण करण्यासाठी तसेच दीर्घकालीन उपाययोजना सुचविण्यासाठी सह परिवहन… pic.twitter.com/R5D4M9ct0z
— Pratap Baburao Sarnaik (@PratapSarnaik) May 12, 2026
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80% To 100% Price Hike on Regular Rates
The Transport Minister of Maharashtra mentioned that the panel will examine all the complaints that are related to fare hikes and other illegal practices. Along with this, the committee will also help by recommending measures to help curb these practices.
The complaint also includes private travel companies that operate unauthorized applications. These apps charge exorbitant ticket prices, mainly during peak and holiday seasons.
The Maharashtra state transport department mentioned that the passengers travelling to various regions, like Konkan, from Mumbai are being charged 80% to 100% more than the normal regular rates. This hike is charged by the private bus operators on the most popular routes to hometowns during the summer vacation period.
Talking specifically about the Konkan-bound buses, the private bus operators are charging around INR 2000 to INR 2200, while the regular rates are between INR 1000 and INR 1200. Similarly, the regular rates for destinations in Marathwada are between INR 700 and INR 800, but during peak season, they hit about INR 1,200 to INR 1500.
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Summing Up
The Transport Minister of Maharashtra, Pratap Sarnaik, on Tuesday held a meeting with the transport committee and other officials. After many complaints about the arbitrary price hike, they have ordered the formation of a panel to examine and solve these problems.
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