# Pune-Diwal bus fares double, students hit hardest 2026-11-01T15:31:29+00:00 | India | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet A student from Akurdi said a Pune-to-Degloor sleeper bus ticket that normally costs Rs 900 is being sold for around Rs 2,200 for travel on November 5. Several students said they depend on parents for expenses and find the surge unaffordable. On the Pune-Latur route, a non-AC sleeper ticket that usually costs Rs 700 and an AC sleeper at around Rs 900 are now going for Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,200 or more. A Pune resident studying in Bengaluru said one-way flights cost Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 and trains are full, so she will take a bus that now costs Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,000, up from the usual Rs 2,000. Regional Transport Officer Archana Gaikwad has warned that action will be taken against operators who exceed the government-prescribed limits under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Fares must not exceed 1.5 times MSRTC rates. A special enforcement drive will run until November 20. Passengers can report overcharging on WhatsApp at 8275330209. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The surge hits students and young professionals who have no alternative to buses because trains are full and flights are too costly. The RTO has capped fares at 1.5 times MSRTC rates and announced an enforcement drive until November 20, but travellers report tickets already sold at two to three times the normal price. Whether the enforcement mechanism works and whether passengers actually use the WhatsApp number will determine if the cap has any effect. ## Coverage - indianexpress.com Straight news-agency style report, leads with passenger quotes, includes RTO warning and enforcement details without editorialising. This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Diwali, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, Pune, Regional Transport Office Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/pune-diwal-bus-fares-double-students-hit-hardest/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/pune-diwal-bus-fares-double-students-hit-hardest/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/