Srinagar- Passenger fares across several parts of Kashmir have gone up on the ground even as the government maintains that no official order has been issued approving any hike, leaving commuters confused and transporters divided.
The Jammu and Kashmir government had last week reportedly cleared an 18 percent increase in passenger fares for all categories of public transport vehicles, with the revised rates proposed to take effect from January 1, 2026.
The reported approval followed a meeting of the Fare Revision Committee at the Civil Secretariat in Jammu on December 23. The committee, headed by Principal Secretary Finance Santosh D. Vaidya, discussed the long-pending demand of transporters for a revision of passenger fares.
However, no formal notification has been issued so far, creating uncertainty on the ground. Transporters have said they plan to implement the revised fares from January 5, regardless of the absence of an official order.
Transporters argue that passenger fares have not been revised for the past five years despite a steep rise in operational costs. They point to increased expenses related to vehicle fitness, maintenance, fuel and compliance charges, saying the fare hike is necessary to sustain operations. According to them, the increase would apply across Jammu and Kashmir for all categories of passenger vehicles.
Despite the lack of a government notification, commuters said that higher fares are already being charged on several routes from January 1.
Passengers reported paying increased amounts on routes such as Brein Nishat to Lal Chowk, Pantha Chowk to Dal Gate and Awantipora to Srinagar, often without any prior notice. Several commuters said the sudden increase has left them unsure about the actual fare structure and has added to their daily travel burden.
The Jammu and Kashmir Transport Welfare Association, which had earlier sought a 35 to 40 percent hike in fares, has welcomed the reported 18 percent increase, describing it as a balanced decision.
Meanwhile, MLA Zadibal and National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq has rejected claims of an approved fare hike, stating that the proposal has not yet been notified and therefore has no legal backing.
The contradictory positions have resulted in confusion across the Valley, with some routes witnessing increased fares while others continue to follow the old rates, leaving commuters caught between government statements and ground-level implementation.
