Private day-service bus fares across Karnataka have been increased by 3% to 8% from June 9. Bus operators cited rising diesel prices, higher maintenance costs, toll charges and employee wages as reasons for the fare revision.
Commuters travelling on private day-service buses across Karnataka will have to pay higher fares from Tuesday, June 9, following a fare revision announced by the Federation of State Private Bus Owners' Associations. The association has increased ticket prices by 3% to 8%, citing a sharp rise in operational expenses, including fuel costs, spare parts, toll charges and employee salaries.
Fare Hike Announced by Bus Owners' Federation
The announcement was made by Kuiladi Suresh Nayak, president of the Federation of State Private Bus Owners' Associations, during a press conference in Udupi. He said the decision had become unavoidable due to the mounting financial burden on private bus operators across the state.
According to Nayak, diesel prices have risen significantly over the past year.
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"The state government increased diesel prices by ₹3 per litre a year ago, while the central government has raised prices four times, resulting in a cumulative increase of ₹8.17 per litre," he said.
Rising Operational Costs Cited as Key Reason
Apart from fuel prices, Nayak said the cost of spare parts, tyres, tyre retreading, toll charges and employee wages has increased substantially. Additional government taxes have further added to the operating expenses of private bus services.
He said continuing operations under the existing fare structure had become increasingly difficult for bus operators, making the fare revision necessary.
Fare Revision Based on Government Notification
The federation, which represents around 5,300 private buses across Karnataka, said the revised fares have been implemented in accordance with a state government notification.
Under the notification, operators are permitted to collect a cess of 4 paise per passenger per kilometre, subject to a minimum charge of 25 paise.
Student Concessions to Continue
Despite the fare hike, Nayak clarified that existing travel concessions for school students will remain unchanged. Students eligible for discounted travel will continue to receive the same benefits as before.
The revised fare structure came into effect on June 9 and is expected to affect thousands of daily commuters who rely on private bus services across Karnataka.
