RANCHI, June 6 -- Commuters across Jharkhand and the Chhotanagpur division will face a steep 12% to 18% hike in bus fares for intra-state and inter-state routes from Saturday, people aware of the development said. The Jharkhand Bus Owners' Association (JBOA) announced the tariff overhaul following an emergency meeting called to address severe financial strain on transport operators. Association executives said revision was the first in five years, during which operational overheads had surged. Diesel prices breaching the Rs.100 per litre mark served as the primary breaking point for the industry. "Bus fares have been increased after a gap of five years. During this period, the prices of diesel, urea, tyres, motor parts, and chassis, as well as stand taxes, have shot up. Apart from this, new toll taxes have also been introduced at several places," stated Kishore Mantri, vice president of the JBOA. Operators highlighted that two new toll plazas on the Ranchi-Gumla corridor had severely thinned profit margins. Additional cost pressures include expensive urea exhaust fluid compliance solutions, soaring lubricants, higher bus body manufacturing costs, and municipal stand taxes. Under the new fare structures, short-distance and urban city routes will experience the highest immediate jump of up to 18%, while long-distance rural and inter-district routes will see upward adjustments ranging between 12% and 15%. For passengers departing Ranchi, the updated fares are Rs.820 to Korba (up from Rs.700), Rs.590 to Patna or Kolkata (up from Rs.500), Rs.600 to Sasaram (up from Rs.500), Rs.600 to Ambikapur (up from Rs.500), Rs.470 to Garhwa (up from Rs.400), Rs.415 to Daltonganj (up from Rs.350), Rs.300 to Jamshedpur (up from Rs.250), and Rs.300 to Simdega (up from Rs.260). The association assured the public that fares would be adjusted downward if fuel prices dropped significantly....