Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, May 2: In a surprising development, passengers traveling on KSRTC buses from Surathkal to Mangaluru are being charged an extra Rs 5 under the pretext of lack of change. Despite the availability of digital payment options, conductors are collecting Rs 40 for a ticket priced at Rs 35. Passengers are demanding that the transport minister intervene immediately and take action against this practice, which is causing inconvenience.

In the Rajahamsa bus service, the fare from Surathkal to Mangaluru is officially Rs 35. However, if a passenger pays Rs 40 in cash, conductors are issuing tickets for the full Rs 40. The ticket itself mentions a base fare of Rs 35 and a 'round-off' of Rs 5. When questioned, conductors blame the issue on a shortage of small change. Even when payments are made digitally, they claim that the additional Rs 5 is charged to adjust to system settings.

Typically, passengers accept small adjustments — for example, rounding off Rs 35.50 to Rs 36. However, rounding up by Rs 5 has angered many, especially since it amounts to a 14.3% hike over the actual fare. "KSRTC senior officials should conduct an internal review and roll back this round-off system to protect passenger interests," urged Dr Radhe Shyam, a regular commuter.

KSRTC’s explanation

KSRTC officials explained that cash transactions often lead to change-related issues. To address this, a standing order (No. 774/2016 dated 15-04-2016) was introduced. Under this rule, if the fare is between Rs 31 and Rs 34, the conductor must collect Rs 30; if the fare is between Rs 35 and Rs 39, the conductor must collect Rs 40.

Officials further stated that to resolve the change problem, the corporation introduced UPI-based digital payment options for exact fare payments from December 2024. However, since many passengers still prefer cash transactions, the round-off system has continued.