Karnataka government’s fare hike on electric buses questioned as commuters flag diesel price rationale

Commuters have questioned why passengers using electric bus services should bear the burden of a fare revision primarily attributed to rising diesel costs.

The Karnataka government’s decision to increase fares across Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) services has drawn criticism from commuters, who have questioned the rationale for citing rising diesel prices to justify the hike, particularly when a portion of the corporation’s fleet now comprises electric buses.

The issue has gained attention in the context of the Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, under which electric buses are operated by private contractors. Commuters have pointed out that several conventional diesel buses, particularly on Vayu Vajra services connecting the city with Kempegowda International Airport, have been replaced with electric buses. They have questioned why passengers using these services should also bear the burden of a fare revision primarily attributed to increasing diesel costs.

Jagan Desai, a BMTC commuter from Vijayanagar, said that the decision appeared inconsistent with the government’s efforts to promote electric mobility and encourage people to use public transport. “The government has spent years encouraging people to embrace electric public transport as part of its efforts to tackle Bengaluru’s worsening air pollution and traffic congestion. However, increasing fares on services operated by electric buses sends a contradictory message. These vehicles do not depend on diesel, yet their passengers are also being asked to pay more,” he said.

He added that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh had attributed the fare revision to a ₹10.47 increase in diesel prices since May. “While the increase in fuel prices may have affected the corporation’s diesel-operated services, applying the same justification to electric buses raises questions about the basis for the revision. Passengers are being asked to pay higher fares even on services that are not directly affected by diesel price fluctuations,” he said.

According to BMTC figures, 1,779 buses are operating under the GCC model in Bengaluru. Against the corporation’s total fleet of 6,907 buses, including electric, diesel, and BS-VI vehicles, these account for approximately 25.7% of its fleet.

Another commuter, Srinivas Babu from Sanjaynagar, questioned why the corporation could not consider a separate fare structure for electric buses. “With electric buses forming a part of BMTC’s fleet, the corporation should at least examine whether passengers using these services can be charged lower fares. If the objective of introducing electric buses is to promote cleaner and more sustainable public transport, commuters should also experience some benefit from that transition. Why should passengers travelling in buses that do not use diesel pay the same increased fares as those travelling in conventional fuel-powered buses?” he asked.

However, BMTC officials have defended the decision, stating that fares are determined uniformly across the corporation and are not calculated according to the fuel used by individual buses.

An official said that the corporation functioned as an integrated transport system, with expenditure extending beyond fuel costs to include staff salaries, maintenance, infrastructure and other operational liabilities. “BMTC does not maintain separate ticket rates for diesel and electric buses. Revenue collected across different services and vehicle categories is pooled together to meet the corporation’s overall expenditure. Any operational savings achieved through electric buses also contribute to meeting costs on other routes, including services that continue to operate with conventional fuel-powered vehicles,” the official said.