Private bus fares in Karnataka to rise by 10-20% from May 20

Bengaluru: Following the hike in diesel prices, private bus operators in Karnataka are set to increase fares by 10-20% starting May 20. 

Some operators have already rolled out the revised fares. For instance, the fare for the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route, which was Rs 899, has risen to Rs 1,100 to 1,200 on a popular booking website. However, the hike will fully come into effect across the state later this week. 

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said only operators with All India Tourist Permits (AITP) — issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways — were raising the fares. Stage carriage permit holders, who come under the state Transport Department, can’t raise fares, he said. 

“We won’t allow stage carriage permit holders to raise fares. We are monitoring them. The Centre should rein in AITP operators,” he told DH. 

Reddy added that government bus fares would not increase. “We will be making losses but won’t burden the people,” he said. 

The Federation of Karnataka State Private Bus Association defended the move, stating that operating under the older pricing structure is no longer financially viable. 

T G Chandra Shekar, general secretary of the Karnataka State Bus Association, indicated that the fare revision will account for market volatility in the coming days. 

“We decided to increase fares by Rs 150-200 for journeys spanning 300-400 km. There is a strong possibility that diesel prices may go up again next week, and we have to adjust our ticket prices accordingly,” Shekar said. 

S Nataraj Sharma, president of the Karnataka State Bus Owners’ Association (KSBOA), emphasised that the burden is not restricted to the increasing fuel price alone. Operators are facing an aggressive rise in overhead costs with very little relief from regulatory bodies. 

“The fare hike is not just due to the diesel price rise. A recent 5% increase in toll charges is affecting our margins. Also, we are paying hefty quarterly road taxes ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.9 lakh. Despite this, we have not received any leeway or subsidies from either the state or the central government,” Sharma said. 

Sharma detailed how private transportation is facing a “slow death” in the state, squeezed by both rising overheads and competitive pressures. Every long-distance bus requires roughly 150 litres of diesel per trip. The Rs 3 hike in diesel price translates to an unexpected additional expenditure of Rs 450 to Rs 1,000 per single trip. 

Due to global supply constraints forcing several private petrol bunks to shut down, bus owners have lost the Rs 1-per-litre corporate discounts they previously enjoyed. Buying fuel from certain private retail outlets now costs up to Rs 5 more than government-run bunks. 

According to association representatives, mid-tier operators are bearing the brunt of passenger shift because of the Shakti scheme. 

The hike will hit passengers hard.  

“A 20% jump for long-distance travel is a big blow to families like ours,” said K Athani, a Hubballi native working in Bengaluru. “I visit my parents twice a month. With AC sleeper tickets already touching Rs 1,200 during weekends, an extra Rs 200-300 means I will have to cut down my trips.” 

Another passenger said: “Government buses on the Bengaluru-Mangaluru route are booked out weeks in advance, so we depend on private operators.”