Bus passengers may also have to pay the price for the rising fuel prices as the four State road transport corporations (KSRTC, BMTC, NEKRTC, and NWKRTC) are in the process of preparing a proposal to increase bus fares. The transport corporations are expected to submit their fare hike proposal to the new government.
As many as 52 lakh people use BMTC services every day, while around 29 lakh passengers use KSRTC services on a daily basis.
S.R. Umashankar, MD, KSRTC, said a fare revision is “inevitable” and the corporations are keen on convincing the government to approve the hike. “Due to the steep increase in fuel prices, the corporations have started suffering financially. The last time bus fares were hiked was in May 2014. All these years, we have not made any upward revision and balanced the increased operational cost by taking up various measures. But now we have reached the saturation level and there is no other option but to increase the fare,” he said.
Mr. Umashankar said that all the four transport corporations together were spending between ₹300 crore and ₹350 crore on fuel costs every month. The transport corporations procure diesel through bulk purchase, due to which they pay a little less than the retail price.
Vishwanath K.S., General Manager, KSRTC (Traffic) said, “In April 2017, the diesel cost was ₹56 per litre and now it has touched ₹65 per litre. Almost 40% of operational costs goes towards fuel alone. In addition, the DA for employees has also increased. Every year, the KSRTC has to bear an additional burden of ₹350 crore.”
But with the new government yet to induct Ministers into the Cabinet, the fare revision is unlikely to take place soon. B. Basavaraju, Principal Secretary to Transport Department, said, “The State government has not received any correspondence from the transport corporations on fare revision. Once they submit their proposal, it will go before the Chief Minister for consideration.” But passengers are not happy with the proposal. Suhas M., a commuter, said, “It is high time the Centre did something to lessen the burden on the common people. If bus fares are increased, the common people will suffer as they spend a major share of their earnings on commuting.” Navitha, another passenger, said, “Petrol price has touched almost ₹80 per litre and it is becoming very difficult for people to take out their personal vehicles. If they increase bus fares too, how will people travel? I hope the governments will find a way out to lessen the burden on people.”
