State Bus Fare Hiked to 15% From Jan 5: Cabinet

The Karnataka cabinet has sanctioned a 15% increase in bus fares for all state-owned transport corporations, effective from January 5, officials familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

- HT Correspondent

BENGALURU:

State law and parliamentary affairs minister HK Patil justified the increase by citing rising operational costs, particularly due to escalating fuel prices and staff expenditures. "The cabinet has decided to revise the bus fare by 15% for all four state transport corporations. This revision was necessary to manage the increasing operational costs," Patil said during a press briefing.

The hike will apply to the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC), Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC), and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC).

The minister pointed out that diesel prices have spiked significantly since the last fare increase in 2015, when BMTC's fares were last raised. At that time, diesel cost ₹60.90 per litre. "Daily diesel consumption has increased from ₹9.16 crore to ₹13.21 crore, while staff expenses have risen from ₹12.95 crore to ₹18.36 crore daily. Hence, this fare hike is crucial to address the growing financial burden," he said.

Despite the hike, Patil assured the continuation of the "Shakti" scheme, which provides free travel for women on non-luxury buses across the state. Earlier in October, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar said that the "Shakti" scheme could be reviewed amid the poor fiscal situation of the state.