BUS TRAVEL BECOMES DEARER
Increased costs, heavy losses pegged at ₹726 cr reason behind move
CHANDIGARH: The Haryana cabinet on Thursday approved a 15-20 paisa per kilometre increase in bus fares for ordinary buses.
An official spokesperson said that there is a 40% increase in cost of operation of the Haryana Roadways. As a result of the increased costs, they are facing heavy losses.
Losses in the ongoing financial year by January 2020 are pegged at ~726.21 crore.
The passenger fare for HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioned) buses would be increased to ₹1.50/km.
The fare for intrastate luxury Volvo/Mercedes AC buses would be increased to ₹1.75/km. For the super-luxury Volvo/ Mercedes AC buses operating on Chandigarh-DelhiGurugram route, the fare would be increased to ₹2.50/km.
CHANDIGARH: In a decision that is likely to draw public criticism during the ongoing health crisis, the Haryana cabinet, on Thursday, approved a 15-20 paisa per kilometre increase in bus fares for ordinary Haryana Roadways buses.
The passenger fare for HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioned) buses would be increased to ₹1.50/km. The fare for intrastate luxury Volvo/ Mercedes AC buses would be increased to ₹1.75/km.
For the super-luxury Volvo/ Mercedes AC buses operating on Chandigarh-Delhi-Gurugram route, the fare would be increased to ₹2.50/km.
An official spokesperson said that there is a 40% increase in cost of operation of the Haryana Roadways. As a result of the increased costs, they are facing heavy losses. Losses in the ongoing financial year by January 2020 are pegged at ₹726.21 crore.
The spokesperson said that the minimum chargeable standard bus fare (including passenger tax) will be ₹5. Freight for personal luggage will be half of the standard/ordinary bus fare per kilometre per 40kg. No freight will be charged for personal luggage up to 40kg weight. Fare for different stages of bus routes will be rounded off to the nearest rupee.
As per the decision, the bus fare for ordinary buses in state will be increased from 85 paisa/ km to ₹1/km up to a distance of 100km and ₹1.05/km for travel of more than 100km.
The spokesperson said that bus fare in Haryana was last revised on June 30, 2016 when the gross standard fare was increased from 75 paisa/km to 85 paisa/km.
Since the last revision, the operational expenditure has increased substantially, especially on account of expenditure towards staff, diesel, spare parts, tyre-tubes, lubricants, bus chassis, fabrication cost and insurance, he said.
The expenditure per kilometre has gone up from Rs.37.48 in June 2015 to ₹52.23 in December 2019. Also, 41 categories of citizens are travelling on a free and concessional basis resulting in around ₹375 crore loss to the Roadways. The state Roadways has a fleet of around 4,294 buses, including 485 buses of kilometre scheme.
STATE TO BUY ONLY BUSES,EMERGENCY VEHICLES THIS FISCAL
Keeping in view the financial crunch due to dwindling tax receipts during the lockdown, the cabinet has banned purchase of new official vehicles. Only public transport buses and emergency response vehicles including ambulances, fire tenders will be purchased in this fiscal. The cabinet also decided that in case of urgent requirement of new car or jeep, outsourcing or hiring of vehicles should be done.
ALLOTS 18 ACRE IN FARIDABAD TO JC BOSE VARSITY
The cabinet approved the proposal to allot 18 acre Faridabad MC land to JC Bose University of Science and Technology (YMCA), at present collector rates of ₹3 crore per acre. Development charge at ₹120 per square yards, yielding the MC about Rs. 56 crore will also be levied.
NOD TO BUYING DEBT-RIDDEN MEDICAL INSTITUTE
The cabinet has also accorded ex-post facto approval to purchase of the Gold Field Institute of Medical Sciences and Research in Faridabad.
The medical institute, run by Gold Field Shiksha Sansthan Faridabad, was bought in e-auction by the state after it had failed to clear bank loans and was put on auction for loan recovery. The institute was purchased by the state government on March 13 for ₹128 crore.