Bengaluru
oi-Madhuri Adnal
Commuters in Karnataka may soon have to pay more for bus travel, with the state’s four transport corporations urging the government to approve a fare hike following a sharp increase in diesel prices that has significantly pushed up operating costs. The proposal has been submitted to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar for consideration.
The proposal has been jointly submitted by the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC), all of which have cited the recent increase in diesel prices as the primary reason for seeking a fare revision.
Karnataka’s four transport corporations proposed bus fare hikes (33-44%) to the government due to a nearly ₹8/litre diesel price increase, estimating an annual ₹480 crore cost burden; a committee led by Atul Kumar Tiwari is reviewing the proposal before a government decision.
Transport department sources said diesel prices have risen by nearly ₹8 per litre in recent weeks, largely due to volatility in global crude oil markets amid the conflict in the Middle East. The higher fuel cost has significantly increased the operating expenses of the state-run transport corporations.
The four transport corporations have estimated that maintaining the existing fare structure could result in an additional annual burden of nearly ₹480 crore. They contend that the mounting expenditure could affect their ability to sustain public transport operations over the long term.
As part of the proposal, KSRTC has sought a 33 per cent increase in ticket fares, while BMTC has requested a 44 per cent hike. Similar fare revisions have also been proposed by NWKRTC and KKRTC. The government, however, has not yet taken a final decision on the request.
To examine the demand, the Karnataka government has constituted a fare revision committee headed by retired IAS officer Atul Kumar Tiwari. The panel will assess the financial position of all four transport corporations, evaluate the impact of rising diesel prices and other operating expenses, and submit its recommendations to the government.
The government will take a decision on the proposed fare revision after receiving the committee’s report. Until a final decision is made, bus fares across the four state-run transport corporations will remain unchanged.
