Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Jan 21: Aziz Partippady, general secretary of Dakshina Kannada Bus Owners Association, clarified that the hike in bus fares, permitted with effect from Friday January 21, is not applicable to city buses. He also revealed that the buses will continue to extend 60% concession in fares to students through passes, as earlier.

“The revised fares announced by the Regional Transport Authority are not advantageous for city buses, and therefore, the association does not concur with the fare fixed for them. The association had put forth a demand for hike in city bus fares, duly informing the authority about serious problems relating to bus maintenance and other costs being faced by bus owners, while scientifically submitting a proposal for fare hike. In the general body meeting of the association held on Wednesday, it was decided to revise the fares only after a justified hike based on scientific calculations is permitted,” he explained.

Aziz noted that the last time the bus fare had gone up, was in 2008. Since then, cost of diesel, oil, chassis, spare parts, repair cost etc, have gone up, and there are indications about further rise in the price of diesel shortly, he added. He stressed that a fare hike calculated on actual cost basis can only save the bus operators from the grave problems of running their business.