Raising ticket prices inevitable if rates of petrol, diesel keep rising: KSRTC chairman

Tumakuru: Raising the price of tickets on state-run buses is inevitable if the rates of petrol and diesel continue to soar, said Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Chairman S R Srinivas in Tumakuru on Saturday.

“The price of diesel was first hiked by Rs 3.75, and further increased by 90 paise. Consequently, bus fares have to be raised to offset the rising costs. We are currently in the process of disbursing arrears to the tune of Rs 1,260 crore to KSRTC workers. KSRTC is already running under loss,” said Srinivas.

In a tongue-in-cheek remark, Srinivas quipped that buses cannot run on water.

No to name change

Srinivas sought to differ with his Congress party colleague and Home Minister G Parameshwara on renaming Tumakuru as Bengaluru north.

“The people of Tumakuru will not accept the district’s name being changed,” said the KSRTC chairman.