CHENNAI: Conceding the raging demand to reduce bus fares that were steeply hiked just over a week ago, the State government on Sunday cut them by nearly 15 per cent, bringing a big relief to lakhs of commuters. Broke State transport corporations, which have about 80% market share, had faced stiff opposition from all sections after the fares were jacked up on January 20.
While fares had been raised by 35% to 55% across Tamil Nadu, for MTC buses they went up by as much as 95%. The revised fares that will come into effect from Monday will bring down the base ticket cost of ordinary MTC buses and town buses to Rs 4 from Rs 5. The fare up to 28 stages has been now capped at Rs 23.
The minimum fare in MTC Express has been reduced to Rs 6 as against the earlier Rs 9, while the minimum fare in Deluxe buses is down to Rs 10 from Rs 13. However, the base fare in Volvos will remain Rs 51. The government has also scrapped the Rs 1 additional fare collected towards insurance premium in Express and Deluxe buses in Chennai.
With this, the ticket fares of MTC buses in Chennai and town buses operated in Madurai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Vellore, Salem, Tirunelveli and other towns will come down by 30 to 35%. For instance, commuters who are paying Rs 25 for travelling from Parrys to West Saidapet in Deluxe buses, which have seven stages, will now have to pay Rs 21. Till January 20, the fare was Rs 13. The Express ticket fares will come down to Rs 15 from Rs 18. Similarly, from Parrys to Poonamallee, which has 17 stages, the ticket fare in Deluxe buses will come down from Rs 37 to Rs 33. The Express ticket fare will go down from Rs 28 to Rs 24.
Toll fee too withdrawn
Toll fee imposed on January 20 for all buses operated by TNSTC, SETC, MTC withdrawn
DMK blamed for the mess
CM Palaniswami blamed DMK’s mismanagement for the debt pile in the transport corporations