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
Dr Zakir naik' s naik controversy is bound to happen due to his increasing popularity around the world for spreading peace. Our hypocrite politicians and news channels and their blatant liars like Arnab goswamy do not want peace makers in the society as it wont help them to accomplish their agenda. Dr Zakir naik never breaks any law of the land and always preached the truth.. Quran is the only religious book which specifically and strongly condems killings of innocent people. Dr Naik will have the help of Allah no matter how hard the media tries to malign his name. May Allah be with you Dr Zakir bhai and all Muslims. Ameen.
Bopanna, if you are real hindu, and against these muslims, how you can work in muslim country? By working there you are helping these People. So resign immediately and come back to india. Let us see your real Hinduism. For the money you will do everything this is the fact. If you don't resign then don't blame them. Instead accept their religion and live with them.
Mr.Bopanna.... please be careful on what you comment.. know the facts and provide sources before spitting out sensitive words...
Islam exists for more than 1400 years and terrorists less than 50 yearsss, if Holy Quran teaches to kill Kuffars as you say then I am surprised that not 1% of the world's killings is done by Islam....
There are more than 2 billion muslims in the world and is 30% of the worlds population.... if we all muslims become terrorists then jerks like you would have vanished in minutes... but no, our religion doesn't teach that.... no where we are thought in Quran to kill kafirs or non muslims than helping them....
IF ISIS, daesh or any terrorists organisation u label them as muslims, then u are ignorant, illiterate and an idiot.... can u not see the recent blast in baghdad killed more than 220 muslims, turkey more than 40, Ksa recently.... how an earth a terrorist can kill muslims if his target is kuffars....are the terrorists idiots enough to make out the difference is religion....Terrorists has no religion and ISIS,Daes or any group of idiots are not a part of our holy religion which promotes peace....not killings
Non muslims are just scared of ZN coz of the conversion ratios of non muslims into Islam....I doubt any of his videos have thought or inspired any one to become a terrorists... none of them I have seen... If he is then I will never be his supporter but if he is not then please dont comment unnecessary things in social media.... without a valid source....
Surprisingly u seems to be a reisdent of KSA.... how on earth with somuch hatredness within yourself can work in a muslim country abiding all muslim laws... and enjoy the incomes of muslim ruled companies, Money changed ur mind and developed tolerance with u... lol...
Brothers... dont blindly believe media as most of the storie are fabricated.. there is story behind what media portrays... Islam is never a religion of killing but a religion which promotes peace and condemns killing....
i strongly beleave this game is being played by sri sri ravi shanker... he was bashed black and blue(exposed) by dr zakir some years back in frount of a very larg croud and whole world came to no about his truth that he is nothing but just a fake god man.... am very sure when dr zakir nayaks isseue goes to the cort he will come clean.... its just that people cant defeate his through debates so they r using all other means to defame him... sri sri if u r a man (whuch i dought) defeate him by debating him not like this.....
All critics of ZN should watch his video preach.
They should compare these with other hate mongers speech can realize who is who?
Asatyameva Jayate, yes you are a terrorist no doubt. All Muslims are terrorists since they abide by the Koran - which asks to kill all Kuffars. Koran shuld be banned and all Muslims Jailed
Every Hindu or Muslim once took a oath in school......... every Indians are my brothers and sisters..... if one of them become terrorist can we arrest the whole nation as their relatives.....ha ha.....
If a rapist or a terrorist is inspired by any god book religion or any person are you going to ban or arrest them all......joke hai yaar.............
I am inspired by dr. Zakir Naik and also some good words from some Hindu purohits. Am I going to be a terrorist???
Indresh Kumar's Sufism more active in Bangladesh....!
Does India ever taken against Indresh Kumar who accused in Samjoutha Express and Pakistan asks us to take action against him? Why much eagerness in what Bangladesh's baseless demand?
Those who can't face ZN on talk or debate, obviously they go for backdoor to defame ZN. Modi's popularity going down in day by day and also UP elections ahead, so this 'inspire' story has more depth to divert people's attention. RSS pracharak and terror accused Indresh kumar founded modern Sufism and using the same Sufism against Islam. US did the same in Iraq, Libya, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan to destroy Islam by 'Muslims'. Muslims are scapegoat of divide and rule either by western country or India.
Some so called our scholars also knowingly or unknowingly victim of Sufism to defame Islam and against ZN.
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