The Indian Express                  16.04.2013

To beat autos, RMC cuts bus fares

Unable to compete with autorickshaw operators, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) on Monday reduced passenger fares for its Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) services with an aim to attract more travellers.

Rajkot Rajpath Limited (RRL), a special purpose vehicle of RMC which operates the BRTS services, reduced fares across the board by Re 1-Rs 4 while announcing 50 per cent concession for their travelling passes. According to the new rates, effective from Monday, the lowest ticket is priced at Rs 4 instead of Rs 5 earlier. Similarly, the costliest ticket will now come at Rs 15 instead of Rs 19.

"Autorickshaws are directly competing with us. While an auto driver charges Rs 15 for a one-way journey from Gondal Crossroads to Madhapar Crossroads, our fare was Rs 19. However, by today's reduction, we have brought our fares almost at par with auto charges to win more passengers," RMC city engineer Chirag Pandya said.