Now Reading: Waterway fares fixed during Vikramshila Setu closure till Dec 31
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Waterway fares fixed during Vikramshila Setu closure till Dec 31
Bhagalpur: The district administration has fixed rates for waterway ferries and cargo services during the closure of Vikramshila Setu till 31 December. The services aim to ease movement between the two sides of the river. Fares were finalised after considering financial quotations and proposals from nine agencies that submitted bids.
A consensus was reached on Rs 35 per passenger and Rs 50 per motorcycle. The operator will not collect fares from passengers, the government will pay based on passenger numbers or vessel capacity. Children below 12 years, bicycles and ambulances will travel free. Fares for three-wheelers are Rs 150, loaded tractors Rs 500, unloaded tractors Rs 250, pickup vans Rs 600 (loaded) and Rs 300 (unloaded), four-wheelers Rs 700, and loaded 10-wheelers Rs 3,800.
Seventy per cent of the fare will be reimbursed to vessel operators, with 30% deposited under a government account head. DM Alankrita Pandey said instructions have been issued to ensure smooth, safe and organised operation of the alternative service while the bridge undergoes permanent repair and restructuring.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The fixed fares set a predictable cost for thousands of daily commuters, including milkmen and vegetable sellers, who depend on the Naugachia-Bhagalpur crossing. The government absorbing passenger fares removes a collection headache for operators but leaves the taxpayer footing the bill based on ridership. The 70-30 split between operator reimbursement and government deposit suggests the district is trying to balance operator viability with fiscal accountability. The next step is monitoring whether the nine selected operators can maintain service through the four-month closure without disruption.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
