Karnataka: Panel to check bus fare hikes during weekends

Commuters have been complaining since long of increased fares during festive days.

BENGALURU: Commuters who have been relentlessly fleeced by contract carriage buses while travelling to different parts of the state from Bengaluru, especially during the festive season and extended weekends, might soon have some relief. After repeated complaints from commuters, online petitions and several assurances from the Transport Department, a committee formed by the department will now recommend fare regulations to the buses.

Bus operators, however, are expected to fight tooth and nail against the proposed fare regulations, which according to them will add to their losses, and make their operations untenable.B Dayananda, Commissioner of Transport and Road Safety, told The New Indian Express hat the committee — headed by a Joint Commissioner (Transport Department) — was formed recently to fix fares for contract carriage buses. “The fares will be fixed on per km basis,” he said, similar to the manner in which dynamic pricing of cab aggregators was curbed in Bengaluru.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the state government with recommendations during the course of the month.  Meanwhile, president of Karnataka State Tourist Bus Operators Association K N Ramesh said it will be difficult to regulate the fares of private buses as demand-based fare increase occurred only seven to eight days during the calendar year. “If they insist on fixing prices, we cannot operate. If we consider the amount of entry fees, road taxes and tolls we pay, we are bound to make losses with the fares we charge currently,” he said.

In the past too, two meetings were convened regarding the issue and bus operators had vehemently opposed the proposed regulations.  “Considering that the issue is being stoked again, it appears that the proposal is mere ‘eye wash’,” he added.

Sources in the Transport Department said while there were talks about regulations for private contract carriages, discussions should also be held regarding fares in buses operated by state-run transport corporations. “KSRTC and other buses too increase fares during weekends and festivals. If regulations come into force for private contract carriages, there will be a demand that government buses too be brought under this ambit,” the source added.

KSRTC to hold street plays for safety awareness
Bengaluru:
In a bid to spread awareness and prevent accidents, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has initiated a programme to hold street plays at five districts of Karnataka that have high rate of accidents. The play is named as ‘Idhyaava Saayo Aata’, based on notable Kannada writer Da Ra Bendre’s play ‘Saayo Aata’. Performed by members of the NGO Sarathi Jhalak, the play has elements of satire as it deals with a serious issue using comic sequences. The idea was formulated following the publication of a report on accident analysis by KSRTC.

The study was conducted by KSRTC in collaboration with World Resources Institute, Washington. The findings indicated that 42 per cent of the accidents in which buses were involved were a result of head-on collisions, 32 per cent caused by collisions of vehicles along the same side as buses and 25 per cent involved pedestrians crossing the roads. The play was performed for the first time on Sunday at Nanjangud, Mysuru district and will be performed in Ramanagara, Tumkur, Davangere and Mandya districts within the next 10 days.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com