India, Jan. 4 -- Even as the government maintains that no official order has been issued regarding a hike in passenger fares, transporters across several parts of Kashmir have already increased the rates, leading to confusion and resentment among commuters.

According to the details available with the news agency, last week the government 'reportedly approved an 18 percent' hike in passenger fares across all categories of public transport vehicles, with the revised rates scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2026.

The decision followed deliberations by the Fare Revision Committee (FRC), chaired by Principal Secretary Finance Santosh D. Vaidya, during a meeting with transporter representatives at the Civil Secretariat, Jammu on Decembe...