The Dakshina Kannada Regional Transport Authority (RTA) on Wednesday revised fares for private buses—express, shuttle, city and rural.
Fares of express and shuttle services have been increased in the range of Re. 1 to Rs. 5, city and rural services have been increased by Re. 1 for every stage, except the first stage.
The RTA had to come out with the revised fares as bus operators had approached the Karnataka High Court challenging the June 7, 2014 fare order. The Court had directed the RTAs of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts to revise the fares in accordance with the July 31, 2013 notification issued by the State government.
Express and shuttle bus operators would enforce the new fare in a day or two as they require time to circulate the new fare chart and change the programme in electronic ticketing machines, said Canara Bus Owners Association President Rajavarma Ballal. City bus operators however would implement the new fare from Thursday itself, according to D.K. Bus Operators Association General Secretary V.K. Putran.
Operators happyMr. Ballal said the new fares have given breather to the operators who can sustain the operations for some time. The RTA should have thought practically before passing the June 7, 2014 order, against which the operators had approached the High Court, he said.
They are just adequate to allow the operators to do the business in a dignified manner. Mr. Putran too said the new fares are adequate for the time being.
Social activist G. Hanumanth Kamath, who had been opposing fare hike in the RTA meetings, told The Hindu the revised fares would severely affect the poor and middle class passengers, whose earnings have not seen any increase over the years. He alleged that bus operators have dual policy when it comes to following rules and regulations.
While seeking higher fares, they go by the government notification and while operating services, they seldom adhere to rules. Majority of city and service buses do not conform to bus body code, facilitating easy entry and exit of passengers. Many contract carriage operators enter State Bank area though they are specifically prohibited from that, he pointed out.
At the same time, existing city bus operators oppose issue of new permits even though buses run jam-packed during peak hours, Mr. Kamath said. It is for the Deputy Commissioner to initiate stern against operator who violate the rules, he said.
