No bus fare hike for now: Transport Minister D C Thammanna
The fare hike rumours began circulating after the Transport Minister held a meeting with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday.
Bengaluru: Transport Minister D.C. Thammanna has scotched rumours of a hike in bus fares for BMTC and KSRTC. Both the transport corporations are reeling under the burden of recent hike in fuel prices.
The fare hike rumours began circulating after the Transport Minister held a meeting with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday. There was speculation that fares may be hiked up to 18%.
However a source close to the Minister told Deccan Chronicle that the issue was not discussed at all during the meeting. “The Minister had met the Chief Minister to hand over a cheque of Rs 9 crore to CM Natural Relief Fund. This proposal will take some more time for the approval and for implementation,” he added.
All transport corporations in the state are currently facing deep financial crisis and incurring losses.
In September last year, both KSRTC and BMTC had pitched for an 18% hike in bus fares. However, the proposal was put on hold following Mr Kumaraswamy’s intervention.
Another KSRTC official told Deccan Chronicle, "KSRTC is likely to incur a loss of Rs 100 crore by the end of this year, if the prices are not revised. The government had put the price hike proposal on hold because it feared it may affect its Lok Sabha prospects. But again it has been postponed and we should wait and watch."