Southern States - Karnataka   

Views of commuters, operators differ on fare hike

By Our Staff Correspondent

MANGALORE DEC. 10 . The "open house" session on the increase in bus fares, organised by the Regional Transport Authority here on Tuesday, revolved around economics of private bus operation and the alleged injustice meted out to the commuters by the bus operators.

Some suggested to drop the increase in bus fares for the first two stages. There should be an increase of five per cent for the next 14 stages, they said and opposed the proposed 10 per cent increase in fares.

The bus operators, however, wanted the RTA to retain those fares that came into effect from November 1. They pointed out that bus fares could not fluctuate each time when there was a revision in the prices of petroleum products.

The President of the Canara Bus Operators' Association, Rajavarma Ballal, told the session that the operators were charging less than what they were entitled to vide the Government Order. Giving the examples of some routes, he said though the Government permitted the operators to charge Rs. 26.67 for a distance of 60 km. between Mangalore and Udupi, they were charging only Rs. 23. Though they could charge Rs. 48.52 for a distance of 100 km. from Mangalore to Kundapur (15th stage), they were charging Rs. 36.

Clarifying on the charges of the commuters' associations that the operators rounded off the fares to the higher end of one rupee in case of shortage of change, Mr. Ballal said the association had asked its members to round off the next nearest 25 paise, even though they could round off the differential value of the fare to the next 100 paise.

He said the prices of the diesel and spare parts had been increased by 9.13 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively, since the last revision. Tax had been increased by 11.11 per cent. There had also been increase in insurance cover, he added. All these warranted the upward revision of fares in mofussil, city, and express buses.

The General Secretary of the association, Bhaskar Salian, said they would have to approach the RTA, if the price of diesel went up again in December.

He, however, noted that if the RTA decided to retain the present increase in bus fares, the association would objectively consider giving more benefits to the commuters without revising the fares. The Chairman of the RTA and Deputy Commissioner, A.K. Monnappa, chaired the session. Representatives of various political parties, elected representatives, and the public, attended the session. The Mangalore MLA, N. Yogish Bhat, said he was in favour of the five per cent reduction in bus fares without affecting the operators or commuters.

The Chairman of the Mangalore Urban Development Authority, Thejomaya, said the RTA should take the plight of the common man into consideration while revising bus fares.

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