Forget hike, travellers want govt to reduce bus fares

Days after the Transport Department submitted a proposal to the chief minister seeking a hike in bus fares, a forum of travellers has asked for reducing the ticket prices.

The Bengaluru Bus Prayanikara Vedike has not only sought a reduction in the fares but also asked for introducing a free bus travel scheme for women, viability gap funding, building bus priority lanes and a one-time budget grant of Rs 1,500 crore for procuring 3,000 buses.

“BMTC fares are the highest in India, denying urban poor affordable mobility and curtailing their spending capacity on other essentials,” the forum said, adding that the pandemic has made affordable mobility an even greater concern. The proposal cited the Delhi government model of offering free travel to women on DTC buses which “also brought more paying commuters” in the form of men accompanying women. The scheme would cost the BMTC Rs 800 crore per year.

The forum also asked the government to provide viability gap funding and other financial support such as tax waivers. A free travel scheme for women will automatically provide financial support to the BMTC, it suggested.

It demanded the implementation of the 170-km bus priority lane as per the comprehensive mobility plan 2019 and sought an allocation of Rs 200 crore.