Karnataka government approves lower bus fare hike than committee recommendation
The state government approved a 23 per cent hike for KSRTC and 33-35 per cent for BMTC, below the PTFRC's suggested rates.
The Karnataka government has approved a revised fare structure for state-run transport corporations, including a 23 per cent increase for the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and 33-35 per cent for the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). According to a report by The Hindu, these approved rates are lower than the recommendations made by the Public Transport Fare Regulatory Committee (PTFRC).
The PTFRC, chaired by retired IAS officer Atul Kumar Tiwari, had recommended a 28 per cent hike for KSRTC, the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), and the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC), alongside a 45 per cent increase for BMTC. The committee cited rising costs for fuel, maintenance, personnel, and capital operations as reasons for the financial strain on the corporations.
In Bengaluru, the minimum ticket price is set to rise from ₹6 to ₹10, while the maximum KSRTC fare will increase by ₹9. The overall increase for passengers is expected to range from ₹4 to ₹20 depending on the service. The revised fares for KSRTC and BMTC are scheduled to take effect from Wednesday night, according to Prajavani.
The decision has triggered protests from the state BJP, which demanded an immediate rollback and the publication of the corporations' full loss accounts. State BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra described the hike as an additional burden on poor residents, students, and patients.
He accused the government of imposing higher costs following price increases for electricity, milk, and curd.