Skyrocketing fuel prices force Karnataka govt to proposes 18% hike in bus fare

coastaldigest.com news network

September 5, 2018

Bengaluru, Sept 5: The steep hike in diesel prices in recent days has taken a toll on the state road transport undertakings in Karnataka. Meanwhile, the state government has proposed to hike bus fares of the state road transport corporations by 18%.

According to Minister for Transport D.C. Thammanna, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and other regional transport corporations have incurred a loss of Rs. 186 crore during the last three months owing to hike in fuel prices.

Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, he said that the government proposed to hike bus fares of all transport corporations by 18% owing to the loss incurred by RTCs. Details of hike in different routes will have to be worked out and will be announced soon, he said.

Replying to a question on handling the passenger rush during next week’s Ganesh Chaturti, the Minister said that the department will increase the fleet of buses to ensure smooth journey of passengers to different parts of the State.

He ruled out increase in the bus fares during the festival. However, he said that the private operators will increase bus fares many-fold during the festival and expressed his inability to check hike in prices.

The Minister said that a decision on providing free buses for school and college students will be taken soon after consultation with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. Already a majority of students have obtained bus passes by paying a fee. The Minister was categorical on providing free bus passes from the next academic year.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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