MSRTC considers fare hike amid fuel cost surge; no immediate increase: Maharashtra Transport Minister
Mumbai, May 18
In view of the rising fuel costs faced by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, a proposal to increase passenger fares is under consideration.
However, Transport Minister and MSRTC Chairman Pratap Sarnaik clarified that no immediate fare hike will be implemented, according to an official press note issued by the Office of the Transport Minister.
A meeting of senior MSRTC officials was held on Monday at Mantralaya under the chairmanship of Minister Pratap Sarnaik to discuss the impact of rising diesel prices. The meeting was attended by MSRTC Vice Chairman and Managing Director Dr Madhav Kusekar and other senior officials.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Sarnaik said that the recent increase in diesel prices is expected to impose an additional annual financial burden of around Rs 124 crore on the corporation.
MSRTC requires an average of 10.87 lakh litres of diesel every day. Currently, diesel is supplied by Indian Oil Corporation, and the price per litre, which was Rs 88.21 last week, has now risen to Rs 91.31, an increase of Rs 3.10 per litre.
Due to this increase, the corporation is incurring an additional daily expenditure of approximately Rs 33.7 lakh. Every month, this translates to around Rs 10 crore, and annually, the burden is expected to reach nearly Rs 124 crore.
According to the release, Sarnaik further stated that MSRTC is already facing financial difficulties and suffered a loss of approximately Rs 76 crore in April 2026 alone. The increasing fuel costs are directly impacting the corporation's financial health, and in the future, a fare revision may become necessary.
However, he clarified that no fare increase will be implemented immediately. Under the guidance of the central and state governments, a proposal for fare revision linked to fuel price hikes will be submitted to the State Transport Authority for approval. A final decision will be taken only after the relevant authority grants approval.
The government is also exploring various alternatives to ensure that the financial burden on ordinary passengers remains minimal. Special emphasis is being placed on fuel conservation, increasing the use of e-buses, cost-control measures, and initiatives to boost revenue.
He also noted that ST services remain an essential mode of public transport for people in rural areas, and maintaining uninterrupted service while ensuring financial stability remains one of the corporation's biggest challenges.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Why is MSRTC always in losses? 😠 Rs 76 crore loss in just April 2026! Where is all that money going? I see conductors not giving proper tickets, staff taking free rides... First fix the leakages, then talk about fare hike. The common man is not a cash cow!
What's the point of e-buses if they're just a fraction of the fleet? Rs 124 crore extra burden annually - that's huge! But the minister says no immediate hike, which is good. Let's see how serious they are about cost control and e-bus expansion.
As someone who depends on ST daily to commute from my village to the city, this is scary news. 😕 The government says they want to minimize burden on ordinary passengers, but will they really? Rural people have no other option. Please don't make bus travel unaffordable!
Honestly, ₹124 crore extra burden is not small. But MSRTC should improve its efficiency before hiking fares. I've seen empty buses running on some routes while overcrowded on others. Better route planning can save fuel! Also, what about the money from advertisements on buses?
Interesting that the minister is linking fare to fuel prices. That's a transparent approach. But ₹76 crore loss in one month? Something is fundamentally wrong with MSRTC's operations. They need to cut unnecessary staff costs and improve management before passing the burden to passengers.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.