There will be an 18 per cent hike in passenger fares in Jammu and Kashmir, which will be applicable to all categories of passenger vehicles operating in the Union Territory, and the revised fares will come into effect from 1 January 2026, the government said on Wednesday.
Santosh D Vaidya, Principal Secretary Finance, chaired a high-level meeting of the Fare Revision Committee (FRC) here to deliberate upon the issue of revision of passenger transport fares across the Union Territory.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Transport, Avny Lavasa; Acting Transport Commissioner, J&K, Anju Gupta; Managing Director JKRTC Abdul Rashid War; Representative of Headquarters Northern Command (C/o 56 APO); Regional Transport Officer, Kashmir; Regional Transport Officer, Jammu, Additional Secretary GAD; members of the Committee, including representatives of various Transporters’ Associations of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
During the meeting, the representatives of the transporters submitted a proposal seeking a hike of 40 per cent in passenger fares, citing a substantial increase in operational costs.
The Committee held a detailed and threadbare discussion on the matter, taking into account multiple factors such as the sharp rise in the cost of spare parts, fuel-related expenses, taxes, maintenance costs, and other operational inputs.
A comprehensive cost analysis exercise was also examined during the deliberations, said an official.
Acknowledging the genuine concerns raised by the transporters, the Committee also carefully considered the socio-economic impact of fare revision on the general public, with particular emphasis on ensuring that the common man is not subjected to an undue financial burden, the official added.