People travelling between between Hassan and Channarayapatna by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation buses have not benefited from the reduction in fares announced recently. While the bus fares on other routes has come down marginally, those travelling between these two places have to pay an additional Rs. 2 each.
“I was paying Rs. 42 to go to Hassan from Channarayapatna. Now, I have to pay Rs. 44,” said Kumar of Shettihalli in Channarayapatna taluk. He was surprised when he was asked by the bus conductor to pay Rs. 2 more, compared to the fare he had paid on January 10, the day when the reduction came into effect. “The conductor had no answer to my question on the hike, when the fares had actually come down,” Mr. Kumar said.
The KSRTC said that the hike in bus fare was due to a recent hike in toll charges on the National Highway 75 at Shantigrama, near Hassan. “A month ago, the national highway contractor at the Shantigram toll plaza increased the toll by 50 per cent. As the toll charges went up, we had to increase the bus fare too. Of course, it took some time as we had to take permission from the head office,” said B. Srinivas, Divisional Traffic Officer. The KSRTC announced a reduction in the fares across the State based on a formula according to which the fares had come down marginally on long routes.
“As per the formula, the charges for commuting between Hassan and Channarayapatna remained unaltered, except the additional Rs. 2, which is owing to a rise in the toll fee,” he said.
People travelling between Hassan and Bengaluru are charged Rs. 193 each, which is one rupee less than the earlier fare. “Before the revision, the fare was Rs. 194. As per the formula, the fare should have come down by Rs. 3. With the increase in toll fee, we have fixed Rs. 193,” Mr. Srinivas said.
Officials attribute it to a hike in toll fee at Shantigram
