India, May 19 -- The cash-strapped Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) may soon make bus travel costlier for lakhs of passengers after the recent hike in diesel prices added an estimated Rs.124-crore annual burden on its finances, according to officials aware of the developments.

MSRTC, which operates affordable bus services across the state, is considering a fare hike if the government does not intervene and diesel prices remain high beyond May 31, officials said.

Transport minister and MSRTC chairperson Pratap Sarnaik chaired a review meeting on Monday to assess the financial impact of the diesel price hike on the corporation. Senior officials, including MSRTC vice-chairperson and managing director Dr Madhav Kusekar, ...