The Tamil Nadu government on January 20 hiked the bus fares after a gap of six years, only to roll it back partially on January 29 , after facing protests from commuters and Opposition parties.
The minimum “Ordinary” bus fare on the Metropolitan Transport Corporation, which was hiked from ₹3 to ₹5, was reduced to ₹4, as per the government announcement. Similarly the “Express” fare went from ₹5 to ₹8, and then down to ₹6; and the “Deluxe” fare from ₹7 to ₹12 and then down to ₹10
However, the actual fare that commuters pay continue to be ₹5, ₹7 and ₹11 respectively. What is the reason for the additional ₹1? The transport corporations have started charging an additional amount for insurance coverage for accident victims.
The State Transport Corporations are paying around ₹12 crore every month towards toll fees. As on July 23, 2017, around 650 transport corporation vehicles are in court custody for failing to provide timely compensation to accident victims.
Hence, apart from raising the bus fare, the government decided to create a common fund to cover the insurance charges and to provide timely compensation in case of death or disability due to an accident and to meet with the toll fees.
The newly constituted “accident compensation, accident prevention and toll fee fund” is being collected from commuters along with the bus fares from January 20. The fund will also be used to install, and maintain “speed-control devices” as a measure to prevent road accidents.
The government cites the example of Karnataka, where the toll fee is collected separately from commuters. Whereas Tamil Nadu charges the toll fee along with the charges for accident compensation.
Here are the details of charges that are to be collected from the commuters for the fund, and the compensation that will be provided.
An additional charge of ₹1 will be charged for tickets up to ₹25 in urban areas. The additional charges beyond ₹25 in suburban areas is as follows:
| Serial No. | Ticket rate | Additional charges - Suburban |
| 1 | Up to ₹25
| ₹1 |
| 2 | ₹26 to ₹50
| ₹2 |
| 3 |
₹51 to ₹75 | ₹3 |
| 4 | ₹76 to ₹100
| ₹4 |
| 5 | ₹101 to ₹200
| ₹5 |
| 6 | ₹201 to ₹300 | ₹6 |
| 7 | ₹301 to ₹400 | ₹7 |
| 8 | ₹401 to ₹500 | ₹8 |
| 9 | ₹501 and above | ₹10 |
Compensation for accident victims
In case of passengers meeting with an accident during bus travel, compensation will be paid as per the following breakup.
Compensation in the event of death
| Age bracket | Compensation |
1 to 15
| ₹2.5 lakh
|
16 to 60
| ₹5 lakh
|
60 and above
| ₹2.5 lakh
|
Compensation for injuries
Minor injury – 1
| ₹10,000 |
Minor injury – 2 (Hospitalisation for up to two days)
| ₹25,000 |
Head injury and permanent disability
| ₹5 lakh |
Major injury and fracture (Hospitalisation for up to seven days)
| ₹2 lakh |
Fracture (Hospitalisation for up to four days)
| ₹1lakh |
So, the next time you travel in a State Transport Corporation bus, be sure to buy your ticket and keep it safe, not only to save yourself from being fined by ticket-checkers, but also to get a fair compensation in case of an unfortunate event of an accident.
