Mangalore: Rajavarma Ballal, a bus owner running city services daily, is not happy with the hike of “14 paise per km” in the recent revised fares applicable tomorrow(Sept.15), Thursday), as he feels it “is measly when you compare the cost of operation per km”.
Isn’t city transport bus service a service to the people, Ballalji? Yes but Canara bus operators’ Association that he heads, will go Karnataka High Court for redressal, seeking a new Govt. notification on fare hikes in a scientific manner (whatever that means).
The fares never came down when oil prices fell considerably, because rubber tyres got more costly or maintenance expenses doubled, they say. Ballal wants a level field for both state-run and private bus operators.
If bus fares in KSRTC go up, they should allow “us” also to hike the city fares, pleads he. Who will make good “our losses?”, he asks. The chief of CBOA demanded a flat 15% hike across the board, from stage 1 to the last.
The KSRTC overheads were higher, and the Corporation is subsidsed heavily by the state Govt., CBOA objected with a touch of envy. Hence, the High Court moves to solve the issue of losses.