Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Feb 18: In all likelihood, city bus fares in the city will go up shortly. The commuters will have to shell out additional fares for traveling in city buses, starting from a few days from now.

In response to a request of the bus owners, district deputy commissioner and regional transport authority, Subodh Yadav, had given permission to hike the city bus fare by a small percentage with effect from January 21 this year. The bus owners association, dissatisfied by the hike permitted to them, decided not to effect the price hike. Instead, it approached the High Court. Dakshina Kannada District Bus Owners Association president, Bhaskar Salian, said that the state High Court had given its nod for the fare hike, and that the district deputy commissioner is expected to pass orders in this connection soon.

Salian said that the last time the fare was hiked, was on October 15, 2008. “Since then, diesel price has gone up several times. Spare parts also cost much more now. Considering our plea for upward revision of bus fare, the deputy commissioner had, on January 19, given permission to increase the bus fare. But, increase in minimum fare for city and rural routes had not been permitted. The association had approached the High Court against this order, where the bus owners have got favourable verdict. Once the order reaches the office of the deputy commissioner here, the city bus fare will go up,” he said.

In the meanwhile, the office of the district deputy commissioner said that they are yet to receive the court verdict, and that once the same is received, it will be studied, and proper steps would be initiated.