Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Feb 26: People dependent on government buses will have to make room for additional expenses as the three government-run road transport corporations barring Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation have been given the go ahead by the government to enhance bus fares by an average of 12 percent.

The proposal to increase bus fare was pending with the government since the last two years. The decision came into force with effect from Tuesday midnight.

Passengers undertaking long trip will be particularly burdened. The increase is more in respect of Rajahamsa, Volvo, sleeper coaches and other such buses. However, student bus passes and passes for handicapped persons will remain unchanged.

For rural transport, for the first three kilometres, the fare has been brought down from seven rupees to five. People travelling up to six kilometres in express buses and 12 to 15 km in other buses will not face the heat. In all other buses, the hike has been made applicable as above. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Northwest RTC and Northeast Road Transport Corporation will affect the hike. These thee corporations had sought permission to hike bus fares by an average of 20 percent.

The transport corporations had pointed out that fuel prices have shot by 11.27 percent since 2014, dearness allowance of employees is revised once in four years, the corporations are facing a financial burden of Rs 260.83 crore on account of fuel price hike alone, and total burden on account of fuel and other expenses works out to Rs 601.21 crore annually.

The corporations have increased bus fare after a gap of six years. The last hike was brought into force in 2014. It may be recalled that the coalition government in the past had ordered hike in bus fare but had withdrawn the order within hours.