BENGALURU: State-run bus fares are likely to increase amid multiple hikes in diesel prices over the past 10 days. Sources in state-run transport corporations indicated that the hike in fuel rates has left the corporations with no choice but to propose a fare hike. The corporations, which are already reeling under financial burden, will be further burdened by the additional expense, which has triggered discussions on hiking ticket prices, a source added.
When TNIE contacted Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, he indicated that any decision on increasing bus fares would depend on proposals submitted by the four state-run transport corporations. He said the government has not yet received any formal request from the corporations seeking a fare revision.
He explained that if the corporations submit proposals citing financial stress and seek a fare hike, the government would examine the matter. “Once proposals come from all four corporations, the state government will think about it,” he said.
The minister also pointed to the financial burden caused by repeated fuel price hikes. He noted that after the previous cumulative diesel price hikes were hovering around Rs 4 before Monday, the four transport corporations were together looking at an additional burden of nearly Rs 25 crore per month and Rs 300 crore a year. With diesel prices having risen to over Rs 7 per litre due to additional cess and revisions, the losses are expected to increase further, he noted.
Reddy, however, maintained that no official proposal has reached the government so far, though such requests “may come” from the transport boards in future. The last fare hike was announced in January 2025, with a 15 per cent increase across the four corporations – KSRTC, KKRTC, NWKRTC, BMTC – citing rising operational costs.