Bhubaneswar/Cuttack: Carry out regular inspections to prevent buses from charging fares beyond the government-fixed limit, the State Transport Authority (STA) directed all Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) Friday.
The directive comes following instructions from Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena, who emphasised strict action against violators to safeguard passenger interests.
According to STA, no passenger bus is allowed to collect fares higher than the prescribed rates. The minister has asked officials to take action under the Motor Vehicles Act against buses violating the rule.
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In response, RTOs across the state have formed special enforcement teams to conduct surprise inspections of passenger buses. These teams are also interacting with passengers during checks to verify complaints about overcharging.
On the first day of the drive, Cuttack RTO enforcement team took action against five buses for violating fare rules. The buses were fi ned Rs 10,000 each under Section 192(A) of the Motor Vehicles Act. Officials said the government has fixed bus fares per kilometre depending on the category of bus, and the rates apply to both offline and online ticket bookings.
Bus owners and operators have been instructed to strictly follow these fare guidelines. Apart from checking fare violations, enforcement teams have also been asked to ensure that buses follow all road safety norms during the inspections.