The Administration has decided to increase the fare of the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) buses. Reason: to make up for losses and manage the burden of revised salary structure. The slab system will be done away with and a uniform fare of Rs 8 be introduced. The date of the implementation of the fare is yet to be decided.

Rather than retaining the two-slab fare structure of Rs 5 and Rs 10, the Administration has incorporated a uniform fare. The CTU, already deep into losses with a major chunk going for expenses such as salaries and maintenance and repair of buses, would be overburdened with the revised salary structures and increase in maintenance costs. The revised fare is expected to decrease the losses of the CTU.

The administration claimed this would also check the practice of conductors to charge arbitrary fares from passengers.

There is also a move to hike fee of the holiday passes for Saturday/Sunday/Unlimited from Rs 20 to Rs 30 and plans are afoot to introduce Rs-50 passes for AC buses. The general (unlimited) pass is proposed to be hiked from Rs 320 to Rs 350 and day and night parking fee for buses (private buses using CTU space) from Rs 100 to Rs 150 per day.

However, no change has been proposed in the monthly passes (point-to-point) for students (Rs 60) and employees’ passes issued in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali (Rs 110).