With the rise in fuel costs in Karnataka, travelling on buses may become costlier.
Bengaluru: After the recent hike in petrol and diesel prices in Karnataka, traveling on Road Transport Corporation (RTC) buses may become more costly. The Congress-led Karnataka Government’s decision to increase diesel prices by Rs 3 per litre has led RTC to rethink the fares as most of its buses run on diesel. The hike in fuel prices would also impact the operational costs for running buses, Times of India quoted an official as saying.
Notably, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) procures 6.2 lakh litres of diesel an everyday and after the fuel price hike, the Corporation has to spend an additional Rs 18.2 lakh a day on fuel. In 2023, KSRTC procured Rs 1,828 diesel. “This comes up to Rs 5.4 crore a month and Rs 65 crore a year,” TOI quoted an official.
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On the other hand, RTCs has been voicing their concerns to the government, troubled by the mounting operational costs impacted by increasing personnel salaries, fuel expenditures, upkeep charges, among other elements. The official highlighted that rising fuel costs are indeed hitting their budget hard. However, he stated confidently, the state administration will dedicate its efforts to resolving this financial burden as it falls under policy-related matters.
Karnataka Bus Fare Hike
The public transport medium has been demanding a 20 percent to 25 percent fare hike, hoping the state government could endorse a surge of nearly 10-15percent. Information gathered indicates a possible fare restructuring to mitigate further economic challenges.
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Karnataka Bus Fare Hike: Impact In Bengaluru
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) burns up more than 2.5 lakh litters of diesel every day.
The hike in fuel prices implies BMTC could incur an extra daily expense of Rs 8.7 lakh, summing up to an overwhelming Rs 32 crore per year.
Notably, fuel costs account for about 40percent of operational expenses. The city bus running cost stands at Rs 78 per kilometer, while the income per kilometer hovers around Rs 66, according to inside knowledge.
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Karnataka Bus Fare Hike: Last Revision
All bus transportation agencies, with the exception of BMTC, underwent a fare adjustment in 2020. In 2014, the city saw bus fares go up by 18percent, only to slightly drop by 1.5percent in the subsequent year, 2015. It’s critical that the state government exercises prudence when contemplating a hike in bus fares – any increment affects both the common man and the state treasury since the Shakti scheme’s reimbursement figures would rise. The four RTCs in the mix have shouldered the hefty sum of Rs 5,561 crore, giving out 228 crore free travel tickets for women through the scheme.
