Bus fares to States like Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), Bihar and Jharkhand have been soaring ever since the government allowed stranded migrants to go back to their homes by registering private buses in groups of 25. Private bus operators, however, said their rates are high for good reason.
Those wishing to go to these States have to pay between ₹8,000 and ₹12,000 each, which is nearly three to four times the actual cost. Bus owners have said there were several reasons for the price, key among them being that the buses need to travel at 50% occupancy to maintain adequate physical distancing. Tolls, taxes and coordination, were the other issues, they said.
“There is no clarity as to whether the States will collect taxes from us when we cross borders. They will be collecting toll for all our buses, which makes up around 10% of the cost. The buses need to come back empty as there is no planning or provision for buses to ferry passengers from say U.P. to Rajasthan and come back to Mumbai from there,” said Harsh Kotak of Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana. Every State collects a tax when buses from a different State enter its region, if they do not have an All India Permit.
Sadrul Sheikh of Jharkhandi Ekta Sangh said a ticket on a 50-seater bus from Mumbai to Jharkhand costs between ₹8,000 and ₹9,000, and for a group of 25, can cost between ₹1.8 lakh and ₹2 lakh. “Even if we arrange for buses from Jharkhand, the price is not under ₹1.5 lakh. This is too high for daily wage labourers who haven’t had any work. Moreover, we have even received information that a bus from Mumbai to Jharkhand was stopped at the border as the Jharkhand government had not given permission,” he said.
Mr. Kotak said the costing was skewed, but private operators’ rates were much lower than what the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) was charging. The MSRTC, he said, charges ₹56 per km as opposed to private operators who charge around ₹42 per km. “Many of our bus drivers and helpers, who had left from Gujarat for Odisha, have been not allowed to come back. There needs to be a more centralised coordination for this initiative to work,” he said.
Several migrant workers said they have become extra careful as they have started hearing of instances of fraud. Triveni Yadav, who hails from Jharkhand, said he and his fellow travellers backed out of a deal after the bus driver insisted on upfront payment. “We are hearing stories about people asking for money and once they get even the token amount of around ₹20,000, they switch off their phones. We are being extra careful, but we also want to go home soon,” he said.
