Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has saved a whopping Rs 94.14 crore by fuelling its buses at private petrol stations after the Union government hiked diesel price by about Rs 10 per litre for bulk purchasers.
According to the Centre this step was taken to cut subsidy bill.
Since the January 18 diesel price hike, the KSRTC instead of hiking the ticket fare to make up for the additional burden, decided to buy diesel from private bunks and save almost `10 per litre.
KSRTC Managing Director N Manjunath Prasad told Express that the corporation, in the last 56 days has saved `94.14 crore on fuel bills. Four corporations — Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, North-West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and North East Karnataka Transport Corporation — require around 1,518 kilo litres of diesel a day.
“(In all four corporations) We have 23,000 buses and monthly consumption of diesel is 45,532 kilo litres. Our daily payment towards the purchase is around Rs 6 crore to Rs 8 crore. Had we not taken a decision to get our buses refuelled at private petrol pumps, we would have hike the bus fare,” he said.
Pumps closed
He said the oil companies have dismantled their petrol pumps at KSRTC depots across the State since not a single litre of diesel was purchased from them since January 18.
“Our staff working at those pumps are now stationed at private bunks to refill tanks and to maintain accounts. We have identified certain petrol pumps all over the State from where the drivers have to get their buses refilled and not at the bunk of their choice. The private bunks get payment within 24 hours. We will continue this system till the Union government announces a uniform price for diesel,” he said.
Prasad said that it was true that other vehicle owners are facing problems near private petrol bunks due to refuelling of KSRTC buses.
However, this problem is only in Bangalore and no where else. “There is no solution to this problem as the KSRTC is not in a position to shell out extra Rs 10 on a litre whereas private buses buy diesel at cheaper rate,” he said.