Benagluru, Feb 27: The sudden hike in bus fares by the state-run transport corporation has triggered a public outrage and protests by the opposition Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in Karnataka.
Terming the hike as anti-people and inflationary, the Congress urged the ruling BJP to withdraw it forthwith and spare the commuters from the additional burden.
"KSRTC and its affiliates should not further burden the people when the cost of living has gone up and its bus service is used by the majority in the absence of trains in many regions of the state," said Ravi Gowda of the Congress.
In a surprise announcement on Tuesday night, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and its two affiliates -- North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKSRTC )and North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKSRTC) -- increased bus fares by 12% with effect from Wednesday, drawing the ire of commuters and opposition parties alike.
Condemning the fare hike, JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy urged the KSRTC to roll back the revised fares and give relief to the common man reeling under price rise due to CGST, SGST and food inflation.
"The BJP government has deliberately increased the bus fare ahead of the state budget for 2020-21 fiscal on March 2, catching people unawares. Though student passes have been spared from the hike, regular passengers are forced to pay Rs 5-32 more instead of getting better efficiency, management and productivity," Kumaraswamy said in a statement in Bengaluru.
It's an additional burden on us, said Bengaluru resident K. Venkatesh, while adding,
"The 12 percent hike in bus fares by the KSRTC and its north-east and north-west affiliates from Wednesday will hit passengers hard and make commuting costly.”
"The fare hike will negate the state government's efforts to encourage public transport service and force passengers to travel on the train, which is cheaper, faster and safer," asserted Venugopal Gupta, a cloth merchant in the city.
Justifying the hike, KSRTC Managing Director Shivayogi Kalasad told media that the hike was inevitable due to the steady increase in diesel price, dearness allowance in staff salary and overall cost of operations.
"Since the last fare revision came in May 2014, the operational cost has gone up substantially due to Rs 11.27 per litre hike in diesel price, increase in DA to employees and repairing, maintenance and fleet management costs," Kalasad said.
The financial burden due to fuel price hike is Rs 261 crore, DA Rs 341 crore and operational cost Rs 601 crore per annum for KSRTC alone, he said.
"For the benefit of rural passengers, fares have been reduced to Rs 5 from Rs 7 for the first 3 km. There is no increase in fares for the first 12 km and up to first 6 km in express service," Kalasad added.
Comments
This attack on Karnataka by BJP. Why did not they raid houses of BJP leaders who have become rich after BJP came to power. Reddy brothers are roaming freely and had lavesh wedding of their daughter. IT department are sleeping
Timing is good!!. Each one repeats same in cycle and then they may stop doing corruption. But Indian political population is a strange one and may start bribing each other! Congress also did all kind of tactics! Timing of investigation of corrupt DMK - daughter!
How can congress explain recovery of 10.5 crores cash from the minister's residence?Is it not embarrassing for congress leaders who called the raid witch - hunt?
What does BJP say about corruption of their own leaders. How many raids were given on the corrupt leaders of BJP. There are not hundred but thousand cases of corruption of BJP leaders. Recently in Chhatishgarh, one minister Brijmohan Aggarwal has encroached the government land. A few days ago Chief of Kerala BJP was caught for taking bribe of Rs 6 crores. After demonetization maximum black money was recovered from these BJP leaders. Before demonetization, dubious land deals were executed with their black money as they know fully that demonetization was to be declared by their party.. Black money was recovered from the BJP leader in Punjab as well from Madhya Pradesh leader. Who is funding Amit Shah who is roaming using chartered planes from one place t0 another place. What were the sources of funds during elections either for the Centre or for the states. Admitted Congress is corrupt but BJP is the most corrupt party in India.Wherefrom they got 15 crores to purchase MLAs.
All corrupt politicians are the feathers of the same bird. All are corrupt whether in the ruling party or in the opposition. Some of them are pro industrial and getting unaccountable money to be spent on their rival parties to let down. If any leader is corrupt and facing trial in the court, they either try to purchase the sitting judges or transfer them on the name of promotion. These tactics have been used by Modi Government in Gujarat to have clean chits in Godhara riots.The enquiry commission was appointed to enquire about who were behind the killings of innocent Sikhs, one Mishra was purchased by the Congress party and he was taken in Rajya Sabha.These commission heads are corrupt and working as per directions of the ruling party. How one can get justice. In India justice is denied to poor, downtrodden and minorities. These political parties have cleverly expert to change the facts into lies. They are expert to purchase and threaten others who are disagreed with them
How can there be black money? Demonetisation was supposed to eradicate it.
He's questioning the time, he's not questioning all that money that's been
seized!
"Mr. Shivakumar's mother hit out at Mr. Siddaramaiah accusing him of not
protecting her son."... ideal mother
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