Commuters question Karnataka government's BMTC fare hike on electric buses
Passengers have challenged the use of rising diesel prices to justify fare increases on services operated by electric buses.
Commuters in Bengaluru have questioned the Karnataka government's decision to increase fares across Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) services, according to The Hindu. The hike was justified by officials citing rising diesel prices, despite a portion of the fleet consisting of electric buses.
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh attributed the fare revision to a Rs 10.47 increase in diesel prices since May. However, commuters noted that many conventional diesel buses, including those on Vayu Vajra services to Kempegowda International Airport, have been replaced by electric buses.
Jagan Desai, a BMTC commuter from Vijayanagar, said the decision appeared inconsistent with government efforts to promote electric mobility to tackle air pollution and traffic congestion. He stated that passengers on services not directly affected by diesel price fluctuations are being asked to pay more.
Srinivas Babu, a commuter from Sanjaynagar, suggested the corporation should consider a separate fare structure for electric buses. He asked why passengers in buses that do not use diesel should pay the same increased fares as those in conventional fuel-powered buses.
BMTC officials defended the hike, stating that fares are determined uniformly and are not calculated based on the fuel used by individual buses. An official said the corporation functions as an integrated transport system where revenue is pooled to meet overall expenditure, including staff salaries and maintenance.
According to BMTC figures, 1,779 buses operate under the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model in Bengaluru. These account for approximately 25.7 per cent of the corporation's total fleet of 6,907 buses, which includes electric, diesel, and BS-VI vehicles.