The double blow has angered commuters across the state. Train fares have become costlier from Monday, a day after commuters began paying more for bus rides in the state. Though travellers feel the hike has put their conveyance budget under pressure, they expect improved bus and train services

'The train fare hike is a welcome step though it may come as a surprise for many people. The railways have been cash starved for many years due to the populist methods adopted by ministers in the past. I hope with fare hike, there would be some developments for the railways' Jyoti Prakash Bhujbal, 28, private company executive

'Instead of increasing the fares, government should try to improve the standard and other facilities on trains. The authorities must use the money to provide better comfort and security to passengers, especially women',Siddharth Sankar Behera, 24, student

We do not support a fare hike that will affect passengers. But we are forced to demand a hike to encounter soaring diesel price that is hurting our business. We have given state government a proposal, so that whenever there is a diesel price hike, bus fares will automatically increase and whenever there is a cut, it will be reduced, Debendra Sahu, general secretary, All Odisha Bus Owners' Association

Being a businessman I know how frequent diesel price hike affects revenues. In past few months, diesel price has been increased at regular intervals. This has forced bus owners to demand a hike. Though it will affect common men, it will help operators to continue with their services Santosh Kumar Sahu, 31, businessman

With the prices of all essential commodities going up, bus fare hike is going to add to common man's burden. Those who regularly use bus services will have
to shell out more money for their travel. The government should find out how to rein in price of diesel. This will stop bus operators from asking for a fare hike Shanti Tripathy, 45, homemaker