Karnataka’s public transport system’s bus commuters will soon have to pay more for bus transportation, as the Karnataka government has appointed an expert committee to consider the proposals for revision of fares for BMTC, KSRTC and other state-run transport corporations.
The move follows proposals from several state transport undertakings to raise ticket prices, citing rising operational costs and financial pressures.
To make a thorough study of the problem, the government has appointed a committee headed by retired IAS officer Atul Kumar Tiwari. The panel will study the financial health of the state's transport companies and make a recommendation on whether fares should be revised and, if so, by how much.
According to the government order, the committee will examine operational expenditure, fuel costs, maintenance expenses, employee salaries, revenue generation, passenger demand and the overall financial condition of the transport corporations.
The committee comprises:
- Chairman: Retired IAS officer Atul Kumar Tiwari.
- Member: Dwarakanath Babu, former Secretary, Department of Parliamentary Affairs and Legislative Drafting.
- Member: Dr. Abdul Pinjari from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc).
The panel has to provide recommendations after a comprehensive assessment of transport sector finances.
As such, transport companies, including the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), have argued that increased operating expenses and financial losses have made a fare revision necessary.
The committee will help the government to determine whether a fare hike is justified and how the financial sustainability of transport corporations and the interests of passengers match up, officials said.
If approved, the proposed revision would affect lakhs of daily commuters who rely on BMTC services in Bengaluru and KSRTC buses for intercity and rural travel across Karnataka.
The announcement has already grabbed commuters’ attention, with many worried about the prospect of higher travel costs. Transport experts say that periodic fare reviews are often undertaken to address inflation, rising fuel prices, and increased maintenance costs.
As of now, no decision has been taken on the quantum of any fare increase. The government has only started the review process by constituting the expert committee. Any revision in ticket prices will depend on the committee's recommendations and the final approval.
The committee will analyse all the financial and operational points of view before issuing its report to the state government, after which it will determine if there is any need for revised bus fares.
For now, the prices of existing BMTC and KSRTC tickets remain unchanged, and commuters can continue using services at today's rates until a firm announcement is made.
