Karnataka bus fare hike draws commuters’ ire; concerns over rising cost of living

Commuters have expressed dissatisfaction over the timing of the decision, arguing that repeated increases in public transport fares are making daily travel increasingly expensive

The Karnataka government’s announcement to increase bus fares across State-run transport corporations has drawn the ire of commuters, who say the hike will add to the financial burden on ordinary households, particularly after the recent increases in milk and curd prices.

Commuters have expressed dissatisfaction over the timing of the decision, arguing that repeated increases in public transport fares are making daily travel increasingly expensive. Several have also questioned the rationale behind the hike, pointing out that the government is yet to clear pending reimbursements to transport corporations under schemes such as Shakti.

Prasanth Kumar, a resident of J.P. Nagar, criticised the government for repeatedly increasing public transport fares while encouraging people to use buses and the metro.

“Year after year, commuters are rewarded with fare hikes, from BMTC to the metro, even as we are encouraged to use and promote public transport. Perhaps the government should also guarantee some financial discipline instead of repeatedly passing the burden on to commuters and taxpayers. Looks like the only guarantee that keeps getting delivered is a higher cost of living for the common man,” he said.

Niranjan K., a resident of Rajajinagar, said the increase would make daily commuting more difficult, particularly for those travelling short distances. “This is totally unfair. It is becoming increasingly difficult to travel, and the fare increase is going to pinch us further. BMTC fares were already high compared to those in other metro cities, and this hike may make them even higher. Short-distance commuters will be hit harder,” he said.

He also questioned the stage-based fare calculation system followed by BMTC, arguing that passengers should not have to pay for stages they do not travel through. “Why should people have to pay from point A to point D when they board at point B and get off at point C?” he asked.

Another commuter, Rupesh N. from HSR Layout, warned that higher bus fares could push more people towards private vehicles, defeating the objective of promoting public transport. “Now people will use more private transport, and public transport will incur losses. Due to that, fares will be increased again. Public transport should always be cheaper or subsidised. Providing free tickets for women while increasing fares significantly does not help other passengers. People will eventually shift to private vehicles, and traffic congestion will increase,” he said.

He also pointed to the Metro fare, saying Bengaluru had already become one of the most expensive cities for public transport. “Metro fares have already increased, and now bus fares are also going up. It is unfortunate for commuters,” he added.

The Shakti scheme, which provides free bus travel to women in Karnataka, has also figured prominently in the criticism, with commuters questioning the financial sustainability of the transport corporations amid reports of substantial pending government reimbursements.

“It is time for the State government to ensure better financial management and timely settlement of government dues rather than repeatedly increasing fares at the expense of passengers,” Mr. Rupesh said.

The bus fare hike comes shortly after the Karnataka government announced an increase of over ₹8 in the prices of various categories of milk and curd last week, adding to the financial burden on households.