AAMTA says stagnant fares and soaring fuel and maintenance expenses have made the revision unavoidable; minimum bus fare to rise to Rs 20
Guwahati: Passengers across Assam may soon face steeper travel costs after the All Assam Motor Transport Association (AAMTA) announced a 70 percent increase in transport fares with effect from July 1.
The association said the move has become necessary as commercial transport operators are grappling with escalating expenses, including fuel prices, vehicle maintenance, insurance and spare parts.
According to AAMTA, passenger fares in the state have remained largely unchanged for over a decade. The last major revision came in November 2011, when authorities approved a 25 percent fare increase, at a time when diesel was priced at around Rs 66 per litre.
In a memorandum submitted to the Transport Commissioner, the association highlighted the financial strain faced by transport operators and sought government intervention.
Transport operators argued that the existing fare structure no longer reflects present-day operating costs and warned that many services could become financially unviable without an upward revision.
Under the new proposal, the minimum bus fare will increase to Rs 20 from July 1. AAMTA maintained that the revision is aimed at ensuring the sustainability of public transport services and preventing further financial stress on operators.
The association is expected to release detailed fare charts for different routes and categories of passenger vehicles in the coming days.
The announcement is likely to impact thousands of daily commuters across Assam, even as transport operators insist the increase is essential to cope with changing economic realities in the sector.
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