The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to hike the bus fare by six to 10 paise per km for nine classes of stage-carriers, both of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and private operators.
The minimum fare for ordinary, town, mofussil, and city service will go up from Rs.6 to Rs.7. The minimum fare for city-fast services will go up from Rs.6 to Rs.7, and that of fast-passenger and limited-stop fast-passenger services from Rs.8 to Rs.10.
The minimum fare for super-fast buses will go up by from Rs.12 to Rs.13. For super-express services of the KSRTC and the private operators, the minimum fare will go up from Rs.17 to Rs.20 and that of super-deluxe and semi-sleeper, from Rs.25 to Rs.28. The minimum fare in luxury hi-tech and Volvo services has been increased from Rs.35 to Rs. 40. Those travelling in multi-axle buses recently procured by the KSRTC, for inter-State services, will have to pay Rs.70 as the minimum fare.
Transport Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan told the media that the new bus fares would come into effect from May 20.
The government had spared the bus fare of students while accepting the recommendations of the Justice Ramachandran Committee that looked into fare revision issues.
The committee would study the bus fare of the students and submit report within three months, he said.