The chairman of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), S R Srinivas, emphasized on Sunday that an increase in bus fares across the state was unavoidable. He stated that KSRTC has formally requested the state government to consider raising fares by 15 to 20 percent.
“In our recent board meeting, we proposed a fare hike of 15 to 20 percent. The final decision rests with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. For KSRTC to sustain its operations, this fare adjustment is essential,” Srinivas remarked.
He highlighted significant rises in fuel and auto parts costs, noting that bus fares have not been adjusted since 2019. Srinivas pointed out that KSRTC employees’ salaries have also not been revised since 2020, underscoring the necessity of increasing ticket prices. He disclosed that the corporation has faced losses amounting to Rs 295 crore over the past three months.
Additionally, KSRTC has put forth a proposal to the government for the acquisition of 40 new Volvo buses, adding to the 600 regular buses already procured. Responding to concerns about the impact on male passengers due to the ‘Shakti’ scheme providing free travel for women, Srinivas clarified that the fare adjustment would not unfairly burden men alone.