With Diwali approaching, private bus operators in Maharashtra are facing allegations of hiking ticket prices by up to 300%. Passengers traveling on routes like Pune, Nashik, and Hyderabad are being charged Rs 3,000 instead of the usual Rs 1,000. The Grahak Panchayat Maharashtra, led by Shyamkant Patrikar and Leeladhar Lohre, has urged the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to step in and curb these unfair fare hikes.
Currently, online fares from Nagpur to Pune range between Rs 760 and Rs 1,000 but are expected to surge to Rs 3,300–4,000 after Diwali. The transport department has launched a crackdown on fare hikes, running from October 21 to November 9, with Transport Commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar enforcing price limits. However, complaints have arisen about inactive complaint hotlines, set up in 2018, which are no longer functional.
Shyamkant Patrikar, President of Grahak Panchayat Maharashtra, along with Leeladhar Lohre, Provincial Secretary, and Nitin Mukewar, representative of Pradesh Pravasi Mahasangh, have urged the Regional Transport Office (RTO) to take immediate action. Mukewar highlighted the necessity for the government to reactivate the complaint helplines. Grahak Panchayat Maharashtra has requested that a helpline for reporting overcharging be restored, as the two provided numbers are no longer operational. They stress that these helplines should be available 24/7 to assist affected travelers.