Surajya Abhiyan secures major win: Maharashtra government promises law to regulate private bus fares

Mumbai – In a significant victory for commuter rights, the Maharashtra government has agreed to introduce a new law to regulate private bus fares and curb overcharging by operators.

To end the “loot” by private bus operators, the MAHA Transport Minister promised a new law in the upcoming session.

A high-level delegation of @SurajyaAbhiyan met #Maharashtra‘s Transport Minister, @PratapSarnaik, to address the rampant exploitation of commuters by private bus… pic.twitter.com/41CzLZ7XZj

— Surajya Abhiyan (@SurajyaAbhiyan) May 13, 2026

A high-level delegation from Surajya Abhiyan met with Transport Minister Shri. Pratap Sarnaik at the ministry to highlight the rampant overcharging and exploitation of passengers by private bus operators and online travel aggregators during festivals, holidays, and election periods. The meeting was attended by senior transport officials, MSRTC officers, and Surajya Abhiyan leaders including Shri. Sunil Ghanwat and Shri. Abhishek Murukate. 

Key outcomes of the meeting

1. New legislation for fare control:  The Transport Minister assured that the state government will endeavour to bring a new legislation in the upcoming legislative session. The proposed law will strictly regulate private bus fares and monitor online booking platforms to prevent charging beyond permitted limits.
2. Action against illegal aggregators: The delegation raised the issue of 18 illegal aggregator apps, including RedBus, MakeMyTrip, Goibibo, Rapido and others, operating without valid permits. The minister took serious note of the Pune RTO’s recommendation to block these platforms for non-compliance.
3. Updating official place names: Minister Sarnaik issued immediate orders to update outdated place names on private travel apps and portals. Operators will now have to ensure that official names such as Dharashiv (formerly Osmanabad) are correctly reflected as per official government records.
4. Formation of a State Committee: A new ‘State Committee’ will be established to conduct a long-term study on issues related to private bus fares. Notably, members of Surajya Abhiyan will be included in the committee to contribute research-backed inputs.
5. MSRTC & BEST reforms:  The minister directed MSRTC to replace defunct phone lines at its depots with functional toll-free numbers. Orders were also issued to correct grammatical and spelling errors in Marathi notices displayed in ST and BEST buses.

While calrifying that the 2% passenger surcharge is being utilised for cleaner stations and better staff facilities, the minister lauded the selfless research and persistent efforts of Surajya Abhiyan in improving the state’s transport ecosystem.