The Dakshina Kannada Regional Transport Authority (RTA) has put the unilateral fare hike by Mangalore City bus operators on hold and warned of action if they went ahead with their proposal of collecting the revised fares from Monday.
The Dakshina Kannada Bus Owners Association had on Saturday announced hike in fares by one and two rupees across the board except the minimum fare of seven rupees. It had also claimed that the fare hike was brought to the notice of the RTA.
However, RTA Secretary and Mangalore Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Afzal Ahmed Khan told The Hindu that the proposed fare hike was without RTA’s approval and added the same has been communicated to bus operators. If the operators collect the enhanced fare as announced from Monday, the department would initiate suitable action, he said. Mr. Khan also said a meeting of the RTA is convened on June 3 to discuss the issue. The June 3 meeting, to be chaired by the Deputy Commissioner, also the Chairman of the RTA, would discuss the fare hike issue, he said. The meeting, to be held at 10.30 am at the auditorium of the Deputy Commissioner’s office, is open to public.
