The Regional Transport Authority ( RTA) on Tuesday approved the hike on a proposal submitted by the PMPML board last week.

PMPML officials said the hike was imminent due to hike in prices of
diesel. For bulk consumers, including public transport undertakings, the
cost per litre of diesel has increased from Rs 52.1 (in mid-January) to
Rs 67.37 from March 1 onwards.

The minimum fare will remain at
Rs 5. From stage III onwards, it will increase from Rs 8 to Rs 9 and so
on. The hike will come into effect from Wednesday and will be the
second in last six months.

People living in fringe areas, i.e.
outside the municipal limits of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad, will be
severely affected as the PMPML increased fares by Rs 2. For the first
time, a different fare structure has been applied for transport to
fringe areas. The PMPML provides its service on 98 routes outside the
limits of Pune and Pimpri Chincwhad. The PMPML says this hike is on the
lines of the bus fare structure of Mumbai’s Best. The PMPML will make an
additional Rs 13 lakh from it.

Meanwhile, commuters’ groups
have opposed the hike saying that the PMPML’s fare is already the
highest in the country. This will encourage people to buy their own
vehicles, which will add to traffic chaos, the activists argued.