Maharashtra’s state-run buses will not charge extra during the Diwali rush. Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, who also chairs the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), has rejected a proposal for a 15 per cent seasonal fare increase that would have applied from 1 to 15 November 2026. Regular fares stand for the whole window.
What was proposed, and why it was refused
The ST administration had sent the minister a flat 15 per cent surcharge for the festival fortnight, when demand peaks as city workers head to villages. Sarnaik turned it down, citing drought in many districts and household strain from inflation. Navbharat Live reports that he decided on 15 October. He also said the corporation’s financial problems should be handled by other means, not by passengers. Coverage does not say which bus categories the surcharge would have covered.
The decision follows a pattern. Navbharat Live notes that MSRTC raised fares by 13.56 per cent in July, citing operating costs, and that a proposed 30 per cent extra fare for Ganeshotsav was withdrawn after passenger protests. That earlier claim appears in only one of the reports we reviewed, so treat the figures as that outlet’s account.
What it means for travellers
- Festival tickets cost the usual amount. A family of four travelling from Pune or Mumbai to a village would have paid noticeably more under a 15 per cent surcharge on a long route. That cost does not arise.
- Rural passengers gain most. The ST bus is the main public transport link for many villages, used by farmers, farm labourers, students and senior citizens, according to the Marathi report.
- Demand will still be heavy. A fare freeze does not add seats. Expect crowded buses and long queues on popular routes, so booking early remains sensible.
The unanswered question: who covers the gap
The minister has said the government will look for other routes to stabilise MSRTC’s finances, but no specific measure has been announced. The corporation has long run on thin margins because it carries concession-holders and serves loss-making rural routes. A surcharge was one way to recover money during its busiest fortnight. Without it, the corporation either earns less than it hoped or depends on state support.
That makes the next few weeks worth watching. A government grant, a revised concession reimbursement, or a fresh fare proposal after 15 November would each show how the state intends to square cheap rural travel with a corporation under pressure. Reports so far describe the freeze only for 1 to 15 November, and say nothing about fares after that date.
Passengers should check the MSRTC reservation site or the depot counter before booking, since the official notice, not press reports, sets the fares that apply.
Sources: Mahaenews, Navbharat Live, PuneNow
This report was written with AI assistance from the publicly reported sources linked here; each fact was cross-checked against at least two of them.