Private bus fares may be revised by Dec 30 across TN
The petition was filed on behalf of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Bus Operators’ Associations.
CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government informed the Madras High Court that a decision on the revision of private bus fares will be made by December 30.
The petition was filed on behalf of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Bus Operators’ Associations. Its secretary stated that factors including the steady rise in diesel prices and the free bus passes issued by the government had prompted operators to submit representations to the state government and the Transport Commissioner seeking a revision of private bus fares. Based on this representation, the petitioner requested the court to direct the government to revise the fares.
He further said that according to a Government Order issued on December 6, 2024, a high-level committee was constituted with the Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) and Principal Secretary (Finance) as members. A meeting with private bus owners was held last March.
However, he told the court that no action had been taken after private bus owners were asked to submit their views.
When the case came up for hearing before Justice V Lakshminarayanan, additional advocate general Haja Nazuruddin and special government pleader M Shajaha appeared for the State. They informed the court that the Tamil Nadu government had received 950 recommendations regarding the revision and that, after reviewing them, a final order would be issued by December 30.
Recording the government’s assurance, the judge disposed of the petition and directed the State to file its final decision on January 6, 2026.
The development stems from writ petitions filed by private bus operators from Chennai and Erode, who sought fare revisions citing an eight-year freeze despite rising operational costs. According to the status report submitted to the court, diesel prices alone increased by 36.87 per cent, from Rs 67.50 in January 2018 to Rs 92.39 in January 2025.
The petitioners also highlighted that Tamil Nadu currently has the lowest private stage carriage fare in South India at 58 paise per kilometre, compared to Rs 1.10 in Kerala and Rs 1.02 in Andhra Pradesh.