Bus fare hike: passholders spared

Bus fare hike: passholders spared

Express News Service
31 Aug 2008 05:38:00 AM IST

BANGALORE: Though Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has hiked fares by nine per cent and the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has increased its fare for ordinary services by 10 percent and other services by 12.5 per cent, the revised fares will not apply to those who hold a student pass or have bus passes that are renewed each month.

Interestingly, the hike will not apply even to Information Technology companies that hire BMTC buses. Talking to this website's newspaper, Dastagir Shariff, Chief Traffic Controller, BMTC said, “The present fare hike is only for scheduled buses.

This will not apply to buses that are hired by the IT companies.

They are charged a per kilometer rate, which could be anywhere between Rs 6 and Rs 8.’’ The Chief Traffic Controller declined to comment on why the IT firms have not been included in the fare hike.

However, sources from BMTC said that an agreement was signed between the BMTC and IT companies two years ago.

Under the agreement, IT companies do not come within the purview of the present hike.

Both KSRTC and BMTC have justified their hikes citing increased operational costs.

BMTC said that its annual expenditure for 2008-09 had gone up by Rs 151.34 crore due to the release of four instalments of Dearness Allowance to its employees. The wage revision for employees and the steep rise in the cost of steel, tyres, lubricants and other accessories have pushed up running costs.

Though the present hike, which is described as a modest one, had evoked angry reactions from the common people on the very first day, officials contend that the hike is less than what was permitted. The revenue from the revised fares will help BMTC introduce 450 peakhour services, augment existing services to 5655 schedule level, build more bus depots, stations and even add ten Traffic and Transit Management Centres. Authorities hope to introduce the Rapid Bus Transit System on the Outer Ring Road too.