Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) officials and state transport minister Pratap Sarnaik on Monday said that a proposal to increase bus fares is under consideration due to rising diesel prices. However, he clarified that no immediate fare hike would be implemented.
A high-level meeting chaired by Sarnaik was held at Mantralaya with senior MSRTC officials, including Vice Chairman and Managing Director Dr Madhav Kusekar, to review the financial impact of the recent fuel price rise on the state transport corporation.
Annual burden may reach Rs 124 crore
According to officials, MSRTC consumes around 10.87 lakh litres of diesel every day. The price of diesel supplied by Indian Oil Corporation has increased from Rs 88.21 per litre last week to Rs 91.31 per litre, marking a rise of Rs 3.10 per litre.
The increase has resulted in an additional daily expenditure of nearly Rs 33.7 lakh for the corporation. On a monthly basis, the added burden is estimated at around Rs 10 crore, while the annual financial impact could touch Rs 124 crore.
Fare revision not immediate
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sarnaik said the transport corporation is already facing financial difficulties and suffered losses of around Rs 76 crore in April 2026 alone.
He said a proposal related to the fare revision would first be submitted to the State Transport Authority after consultations with both the central and state governments.
A final decision would be taken only after approval from the authority.
Govt looking at alternative measures
The minister said the government is also exploring ways to reduce the burden on passengers, especially those living in rural Maharashtra who heavily depend on ST bus services.
The measures being considered include fuel conservation, increasing the use of electric buses, controlling expenditure and improving revenue generation.
“ST remains an essential public transport lifeline for rural Maharashtra. Maintaining uninterrupted services while ensuring financial balance is the biggest challenge before the corporation,” Sarnaik said.
