The rather unusual and unexpected decision of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to increase the travel fares in the disguise of improving infrastructure has shocked the commuters of Gulbarga region as the decision has been imposed on the North East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC), which is as independent as KSRTC.
The bus fare hike has been jacked up under the pretext of improving infrastructure although there was no warranting reasons such as increase in diesel price or cost of other inputs.
What is shocking is that the decision of the KSRTC does not confine to itself but it has been thrust upon the two other organisations-NEKRTC and North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC).
All the three corporations have been given equal functional autonomy and yet the Bangalore-based KSRTC has been playing the role of a big brother.
NEKRTC has a separate non-official chairman in Mr Subash Kallur and the Transport Minister is not its chairman as used to be.
As per the decision there will be no hike in fares upto the ticket costing Rs10. But for a ticket between Rs 11 and Rs 20 one has to pay an extra Re 1 per ticket and from Rs 21 to Rs 50 an extra Rs 2 will be collected.
For a ticket costing Rs 51 to Rs100 the traveller will have to shell out Rs 5 extra, and for Rs 101 and above the increase will be to the tune of Rs 10. The KSRTC expects an additional revenue of Rs 20 crore in an year.
No obligation
When contacted NEKRTC Managing Director Shankar Patil told the Deccan Herald that although the NEKRTC was under no obligation to accept the decision taken by the KSRTC, in the interest of improving infrastructure they have agreed to implement the hike.
“We are under tremendous pressure from the people to improve bus stands and bus depots. We are also required to improve passenger amenities in bus stands besides providing comforts to commuters. The present hike would help us to mobilise resources,” he said.
According to sources, a suggestion to levy what can be called ‘infrastructure cess’ only from the passengers travelling in ultra deluxe, air conditioned and sleeper class buses was turned down by the KSRTC board of directors presided over by Transport Minister Cheluvarayaswamy.
It was finally decided to hike fares across the board uniformally in all types of buses.
The hike, however, does not apply to city services including Gulbarga City.
What is surprising is that even after seven years of its formation NEKRTC is not a position to take independent decision, particularly on matters relating to fare revision. Even in other matters it looks at KSRTC, the sources maintained.
Couple of years ago when the transport minister announced bonus to KSRTC employees it was not extended to NEKRTC, the employees complain.
The NEKRTC having its jurisdiction over five districts-Bidar, Gulbarga, Raichur, Koppal and Bellary- is striving hard to come out of red and if all goes well the corporation hopes to make some profit in the year 2007-08.
One of the compelling reasons for constituting three independent road transport corporations was to bring in competitive efficiency in their functioning and transform them into profit making entities. But that seems a distant dream.