KSRTC Bus Fares Set to Rise by 25-35% Due To Soaring Fuel Prices

Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has hinted at the possibility of hike in Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus fares following the recent surge in petrol and diesel prices. "Transport corporations have not yet submitted any proposal regarding fare increases. If such a proposal comes, we will review it and make an appropriate decision to avoid financially burdening the public," Reddy said.

The minister highlighted that since 2014, bus fares for the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation, the KSRTC, the North West, and the Kalyana Karnataka Transport Corporations have remained unchanged despite increases in diesel prices, spare parts costs, and staff wages. He said that the financial burden on transport companies has increased due to diesel price hikes, which must be compensated.

Reddy also noted that the number of passengers has increased by 20 lakh daily since the implementation of the Shakti scheme, leading to an increase in trips and revenue. However, this has not reduced losses or compensated for expenses. The minister expressed his dismay that state BJP leaders have not spoken out against the Union government's repeated oil price hikes.

The minister pointed out that his government has taken steps to address the issues, including purchasing 5,800 new buses and restarting staff recruitment. He also mentioned that efforts are underway to free up Shantinagar TTMC, which was mortgaged by the previous BJP government.

It must be noted that the KSRTC uses 6.2 lakh liters of diesel daily for its operations, which translates to 5.4 crores per month and 65 crores annually. Officials have warned that a fare hike is inevitable given these costs.

The Karnataka government has increased the sales tax on fuel, leading to a rise in petrol and diesel prices. According to a notification from the Finance Department, the sales tax on petrol has been raised by 3.92 percentage points, from 25.92% to 29.84%. Similarly, the sales tax on diesel has been increased by 4.1 percentage points, from 14.34% to 18.44%.