Pune: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has decided not to roll back the hike in fare of Pune-Kolhapur Shivneri bus service, said MSRTC officials.

The passengers are not happy as they have to pay more from their pockets. The private bus operators in the city are providing the same kind of bus service for a lesser price. Due to stiff competition from private bus operators, the officials are under great pressure, said senior officers of the MSRTC.

The service was specially introduced for professionals who are working in Pune but are originally from Kolhapur. The bus service had started operating on May 20 this year. The current fare is around Rs 680 and there is a huge difference between the ticket rates of semi-luxury and premium bus services. A senior MSRTC official said, "Repeated attempts to give stiff competition to the private operators went futile.

Considering the loss, the company has been incurring, the Shivneri service may be discontinued for the second time."

"There is no proper rail network for passengers travelling on long distance routes. If MSRTC will continue to charge so much, passengers will be forced to travel in private buses," a ssenior MSRTC official added.

Pramod Kulkarni, an IT professional and a frequent passenger, said, "When the Shivneri bus started from Pune to Kolhapur, I usually travelled by Shivneri. Earlier, I preferred to go by train. If they are not going to change the fare, we will start travelling by train."