BRTS fare finally slashed in Amritsar

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, July 29

The Metro bus fare was finally revised by the state Transport Department. It was a long-pending demand of commuters and residents to make the bus fare rational. The Transport Department of the Punjab Government has issued a notification to reduce the bus fare of BRTS Amritsar and also give concession on fare being charged through smart cards issued by the bus rapid transit system (BRTS) authority.

Disclosing this, Anil Kumar, CEO, Punjab Bus Metro Society, Amritsar, said the free bus service was being provided to students up to Class XII. Now, the government has further reduced the fare for other categories. The fare has been fixed in two slabs — Rs5 and Rs10.

From locations such as Amritsar railway station to Purani Chungi, Alpha One Mall, Mustafabad; from bus stand to Khalsa Public School, Ram Bagh, New Preet Nagar; and from Putlighar Chowk to Vijay Nagar, Chheharta Chowk, bus stand, the fare of the Metro bus would be Rs5.

Similarly, the fare from Amritsar railway station to India Gate, Golden Gate, Verka Canal; from bus stand to Naraingarh, Verka Canal, and from Putlighar Chowk to India Gate, Golden Gate, Verka Canal has been fixed at Rs10.

He said the newly fixed fare for smart card holders has been reduced by 20 per cent, the fare for senior citizens and physically challenged persons by Rs50 per cent and for college students by 66 per cent. He said the cost of making a new smart card has been fixed at Rs50 and the minimum price for recharging it has also been fixed at Rs50.

The BRTS was a dream project of former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, which faced numerous challenges since its inauguration on December 16, 2016. Despite tall claims, the Congress government failed to make the project financially viable. Earlier, the fares were not rational and people preferred commuting on other modes of public transports such as e-rickshaws or auto-rickshaws instead of taking the Metro bus to save their money. Now, there are possibilities that the ridership of Metro buses may increase in the next few weeks.

Revised fare — divided into two slabs

Rs 5 From locations such as Amritsar railway station to Purani Chungi, Alpha One Mall, Mustafabad; from bus stand to Khalsa Public School, Ram Bagh, New Preet Nagar; and from Putlighar Chowk to Vijay Nagar, Chheharta Chowk, bus stand.

Rs10 From Amritsar railway station to India Gate, Golden Gate, Verka Canal; from bus stand to Naraingarh, Verka Canal, and from Putlighar Chowk to India Gate, Golden Gate, Verka Canal

Earlier fare
Distance Fare

0-3 km Rs 5

3- 6 km Rs10

6-12 km Rs15

12-18 km Rs 20

18 above Rs 25