Bus fare hike imminent?: Committee seeks objections and suggestions

The newly formed Karnataka Public Transport Fare Regulation Committee (KPTFRC), a body on the lines of Fare Fixation Committee of Namma Metro, has sought opinions and suggestions from the public regarding proposed bus fare revision.

The committee issued a public notice in this regard on Saturday, taking a step closer to hike fares, as hinted by Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh, recently.

This is the first time such a committee has been formed for bus fare revision in the State. Former IAS officer Atul Kumar Tiwari heads the committee.

Mr. Suresh had recently said that the Union government had increased fuel prices multiple times, but the State Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) were providing services at old rates as a result of which the four corporations were incurring a loss to the tune of ₹8,000 crore to ₹10,000 crore annually.

“Once the committee submits its report, we will place it before the Cabinet and get an approval for fare revision,” Mr. Suresh said in August.

“The State government has appointed the chairman and members of the KPTFRC. The committee has been given the responsibility to study the financial conditions of all the road transport corporations and suggest revision of various fares from time to time and to suggest various surcharges, fees on fares in order to improve the financial and operational efficacy of all the four road transport corporations in the State,” read the public notice issued by the committee on Saturday.

All the four corporations have already submitted their proposals to the committee for revision of fares “as a consequence upon revision of diesel/fuel rate, increase in the wages of the staff of the corporations, to continue to provide quality and safe transport service to the travelling public at affordable prices and to meet social obligations,” the notice stated.

Objections and suggestions maybe submitted to chairman, Karnataka Public Transport Fare Regulatory Committee, Sarige Bhavan, KSRTC, Central Office, Shanti Nagar, Bangalore 560027, by post or through a web link http://ksrtc.org/fare_revision_feedback/ on or before September 21.