From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, May 2: After the steep hike in bus fares by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) a few days back, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has decided to hike bus fares across the board.
The hike will be in the range of an average 7 to 8 per cent and the formal announcement will be made in the next few days.
Addressing the media in Bangalore on Friday, Transport Minister B Ramalinga Reddy said the KSRTC has given a proposal to hike bus fares owing to increased diesel prices and hike in maintenance cost.
The KSRTC has incurred loss amounting to Rs 200 crore and the implementation of the proposed hike is inevitable, he said.
In June 15, 2013, the KSRTC has increased bus fares by 10.5 per cent.
On April 24, the BMTC hiked the fares across the board by an average of 15 per cent.
Asked about the percentage hike of KSRTC bus fares, the Minister said: ''It will be very less and may be half of the BMTC bus fares hike (15 per cent)."
The hike could have avoided if the Government had extended tax exemption to all road transport corporations (RTCs).
With the extended deadline for installing emergency doors in luxury buses ending on April 30, he said the department has launched a drive to check buses plying without the mandatory exit door.
All the buses without emergency exit doors, including inter-state, operating from the State would be seized, he said.
More than 50 private buses without emergency exit doors in Majestic and Kalasipalyam areas in Bangalore and a few across the State have been seized already.
The BMTC has incurred loss of Rs 137.88 crore in 2013-14 on account of increased cost of operation.
Making a presentation on the performance of the BMTC during the last financial year, Reddy said the "white paper" brought out by the department indicated that the BMTC’s gross revenue was Rs 1982.18 crore against the operational cost of Rs. 2120.06 crore in 2013-14.
Continuous increase in diesel prices, increase in staff cost, increase in automobile components, concessional travel facilities for students were major reasons for the loss, he said.
All the Electricity Supply Companies (ESCOMs) across the State, are expected to implement a power tariff hike shortly.