Ahmedabad: Just days before the new school term begins, the Ahmedabad School Van Association has announced a 20% fare hike for auto rickshaws and vans transporting students.

The fare for rickshaws has gone up by Rs 100 per kilometre, while the fare for school vans has increased by Rs 200 per kilometre. This adjustment will be applied statewide.

Under the new fare structure, parents will now pay Rs 1,200 per kilometre for school van services, up from the previous Rs 1,000. Similarly, the cost for a five-kilometre trip in a school van has risen from Rs 1,800 to Rs 2,000. For school rickshaws, the fare for a one-kilometre journey has increased from Rs 650 to Rs 750, and for a five-kilometre trip, from Rs 1,050 to Rs 1,150.

The price increase is due to higher costs related to Regional Transport Office (RTO) regulations, including registration, fitness, and vehicle certification. After a recent fire incident in Rajkot, the RTO has tightened the enforcement of documentation for school vehicles, resulting in additional costs of up to Rs 50,000. DeshGujarat