Karnataka bus fare hike: Tension between passengers and conductors over ticket price increase
The recent bus fare hike in Bengaluru has led to confusion and disputes between passengers and conductors. Many commuters continued paying previous rates, while conductors faced challenges due to the retail issue. QR code payments helped, but those without smartphones struggled with the changes.
FollowOn the first day of the bus fare hike in Bengaluru, passengers were seen in heated arguments with BMTC bus operators over the sudden increase in ticket prices. The hike, which came into effect on Saturday at midnight, was the first increase in bus fares in the city in 10 years. Ticket prices have surged from ₹1 to ₹6, causing confusion and disruption for commuters.
On Sunday, the first day after the fare change, many passengers continued buying tickets at the previous rates, unaware of the hike. Confronted with the situation, conductors had to explain the fare change and charge passengers the new rates, leading to tension on several buses.
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In previous fare hikes, ticket prices were often rounded up to simplify the retail issue. For instance, fares for the first stage were fixed at ₹5, and for the second stage, at ₹10. However, with the latest increase, tickets priced at ₹5 have been raised to ₹6, and those priced at ₹10 have gone up to ₹12. These adjustments have led to further complications regarding change.
With many passengers not carrying the exact change, some conductors resorted to asking several passengers to pool their spare change and pay collectively. While some passengers understood the situation, others insisted on receiving exact change, resulting in disputes with conductors.
To avoid further problems, conductors began asking passengers to use QR codes for payments. Those with smartphones and UPI apps were able to smoothly pay and get their tickets. However, passengers without access to such technology faced additional difficulties and delays.
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In response to the fare hike, the Transport Minister, Ramalinga Reddy, explained that the round-up fares were designed to tackle the issue of small change. For example, a 15% increase on a ₹5 ticket would result in an additional 75 paise, which was rounded up to ₹6. Similarly, other tickets priced at ₹21 and ₹26 have been rounded down to ₹20 and ₹25, respectively.
Minister Reddy also emphasized that the BMTC would generate 70% of its revenue from the first three fare stages. However, if the fare is reduced by rounding up, the increase in revenue would be negated. As a result, the Minister urged passengers to cooperate and carry spare change to avoid further delays and confusion.
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