Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Passengers travelling on private video coach buses from Indore are facing arbitrary fare charges, with operators collecting different amounts from passengers travelling on the same routes.
On the Indore-Mumbai route, fares were found ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,000, while passengers travelling to Pune were charged between Rs 800 and Rs 2,100.
The irregularities came to light during a special inspection drive conducted by the Regional Transport Office (RTO), which found violations in five buses.
On the directions of transport commissioner Umesh Joga, a flying squad team led by RTO Pradeep Sharma inspected the buses and directly sought fare details from passengers on Friday night.
The inspection revealed that passengers travelling on the Indore-Pune route were charged Rs 800, Rs 1,200 and Rs 2,100. On the Thane route, fares ranged from Rs 1,800 to Rs 1,900, while passengers travelling towards Mungawali were charged between Rs 600 and Rs 800.
Another Mumbai-bound bus was found charging different passengers Rs 1,250, Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,100. In one bus, two passengers together paid Rs 8,190.
Permit violations and safety lapses
Apart from the fare irregularities, all five buses were found operating as stage carriage vehicles despite holding All India Permits. None of the buses had fire extinguishers.
Taking note of the violations, the transport department has recommended cancellation of all five permits and forwarded a report to the transport commissioner's office.
RTO Pradeep Sharma said the action followed complaints of excessive fares and violations of transport rules. He added that inspection drives would continue to ensure compliance with permit conditions and passenger safety standards.
