BHUBANESWAR: In a move that would bring cheer for Mo Bus riders, Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) on Friday said the AC bus fares will be reduced by up to 38 per cent during winter.
The transport authority that manages Mo Bus service said the revised fares will be effective from December 1 to January 31, 2020 after which it decide whether to continue the offer or not.
The minimum AC bus fare has been reduced to Rs 5 from Rs 8 for first two km of travel. Similarly, the maximum fare has been Rs 100 will now be priced at Rs 70.
The difference in AC and Non-AC bus fares which was between 60 per cent and 140 per cent will now come down to just 30 per cent, said the authorities.
The CRUT has also rationalised fare structure for non-AC segment also to the multiple of Rs 5 for making cash handling easier. Non-AC bus tickets that are priced at Rs 5, Rs 8, Rs 13, Rs 17, Rs 20 and likewise will now be priced at Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 15 and so on.
Around 41 per cent passengers will pay less, while 9 per cent passengers will experience a hike of Rs 1 or Rs 2 in ticket price due to changes in the fare structure. About 50 per cent passengers will remain unaffected due to the fare revision, said CRUT General Manager Dipti Mahapatra.
She said to increase ridership of Mo Bus service, CRUT has also decided to reduce the cost of Mo Bus passes. The monthly Bhubaneswar non-AC Pass will now cost Rs 550 against the existing Rs 600 and Bhubaneswar AC Pass will cost Rs 750 instead of Rs 900.
Similarly, the Magic Pass for non AC and AC will now cost Rs 1,100 and Rs 1,500 instead of Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,800 respectively.
Mahapatra said around 100 new buses will be included to the existing fleet of 200 buses soon. The tender process for procurement of 50 electric buses will also be completed by December, she said.
The decision to reduce AC bus fares was taken to give Mo Bus riders a better experience and boost ridership during winters, she added.