Transport minister hints bus fare hike in Karnataka

Bengaluru, Feb 25: Karnataka Transport Minister Laxman Savadi said on Thursday that in the wake of rise in diesel prices, a proposal to increase bus fares has been placed before Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa who will take final decision on the issue.

Speaking to mediapersons here, he said that the RTCs have proposed to hike the fares in view of the rise in diesel price. “The BMTC has sought a rise of 18pc in its fares. The issue will be brought to the notice of the chief minister and will be taken up in the upcoming Assembly session and the suggestion of the opposition parties will be taken,” he said.

He said that the four transport corporations (RTCs) have suffered a loss of Rs 2,780 crore with the overall revenue loss of Rs 4,000 crore. "As a result, the government has given Rs 1780 crore for providing salaries to the employees," the minister said.

To a question about claim by RTC workers, led by Kodihalli Chandrashakhar, that none of their demands have been met by the government, Savadi said they have already fulfilled six of the nine demands.

He said that farmer leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar has no locus standi in the issue of the RTC workers. “Let the workers come and talk to me directly. Farmers and other associations have no place in this issue,” he said.