India, May 14 -- The Maharashtra government has decided to take strict action against private bus operators accused of arbitrarily hiking fares during peak travel seasons such as the summer holidays, as well as against unauthorised ticket-booking apps allegedly exploiting passengers across the state.

State transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said on Tuesday that he had directed the formation of a committee to examine complaints related to fare hikes and recommend measures to curb illegal practices.

According to the state transport department, passengers travelling from Mumbai to their hometowns in the Konkan and other regions during the summer vacation period are being charged 80%-100% more than regular rates by private bus operators.

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