Leaders and workers of the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Tuesday staged a protest at Swargate Bus Stand over the fare hike announced by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) for buses.

Last week, the transport authority approved a 14.95 per cent hike in MSRTC bus fares that came into effect on January 25. The hike has led to sharp rise in travel costs, especially on routes like Konkan to Pune and Borivali. For example, the Pune route fare has increased from ₹540 to ₹624, while the Ratnagiri-Borivali fare has gone up from ₹550 to ₹634. Protesters stopped buses at some areas in the city.

“Our protest is not to inconvenience passengers and disrupt state transport services, but to bring the attention of authorities towards the fare hike decision. A few months back, it was announced that MSRTC is in profit then why is the need for fare hike,” said Sachin Bhosale, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader.

The Sena faction blamed the state government for exploiting the common people. They argued that while the ruling coalition introduces schemes like the “Ladki Bahini Yojana” to provide ₹1,500 to women, it simultaneously burdens citizens with fare hikes.