Mumbai: Passengers travelling from Mumbai and other cities have reported private tourist bus ticket rates rising sharply for the Diwali festival, with fares on some routes touching Rs 3,000 to as high as Rs 7,000, sources said on Wednesday.With complaints mounting over steep increases in private bus fares ahead of Diwali, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) has launched a special enforcement drive against contract carriage operators across Maharashtra. The campaign aims to curb overcharging during the festive travel rush.Commuters have alleged that operators are making festival travel unaffordable for many families.RTO officials said private bus operators are not permitted to charge more than 1.5 times the fare charged by MSRTC for a similar category of service. Inspection teams are checking fare charts, permits, passenger capacity and mandatory safety equipment in buses. Violators will face strict action, officials warned.The transport department has also urged passengers to report overcharging.
