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Bus fares revised in Puducherry

PUDUCHERRY: The Puducherry government has revised the fares for express, stage carriage and town bus services with immediate effect.

As per an order, the State Transport Authority has fixed 27 paise per km for express stage carriages plying within the limits of the Union Territory.

Up to 30 km, the fare should not exceed Rs. 8, the release said.

For stage carriages other than express stage carriages, the fare has been fixed at 27 paise per km and Rs. 3 for a minimum distance of 10 km. For town services, the fare has been revised from Rs. 1.50 to Rs. 2; Rs. 2.25 to Rs. 2.50; Rs. 2.75 to Rs 3.50; Rs. 3.25 to Rs. 4; Rs. 3.75 to Rs 4.50; and Rs. 4.25 to Rs. 5.

The fare hike has evoked criticism from the Puducherry unit of the Communist Party of India and the AIADMK. In a statement, the secretary of the Puducherry unit of the CPI, N. Kalainathan, said that the government had put additional burden on the public by increasing the fare. “Already, people are burdened by the rise in prices of essential commodities. The bus fare hike will increase their financial problems,” he said.

Talking to reporters, the secretary of the Puducherry unit of the AIADMK, A. Anbalagan, said the government had committed “a financial crime” on the public.

“The government has surrendered to the demands of bus owners. The government should have tried to provide diesel subsidy to the bus operators for minimising the cost,” he said.

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