Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Jul 7: The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) amassed over Rs 1.57 crore from passengers through its fare rounding-off policy implemented across premium bus services, according to information revealed through a Right to Information (RTI) query and reported by Deccan Herald.
The rounding-off system, introduced via Standing Order 774/2016 on March 3, 2016, aimed to address challenges in providing exact change. It was implemented across 785 premium category services such as Airavat, Rajahamsa, Vaibhav, and EV Power Plus from April 15, 2016. According to the directive, fares between Rs 51 and Rs 54 were rounded down to Rs 50, while fares from Rs 55 to Rs 59 were rounded up to Rs 60. The policy also extended to AWATAR counter bookings and electronic ticketing machines, with instructions for the accounts department to track the surplus or deficit revenue under a separate head.
As per RTI data accessed by Deccan Herald, the Mysuru rural division recorded the highest surplus from rounding-off, collecting Rs 55.56 lac, followed by Bengaluru central division with Rs 52.73 lac and Mangaluru division with Rs 18.21 lac. In contrast, some divisions recorded negligible or deficit revenue. Puttur division, for instance, collected only Rs 125 over the nine-year period, reporting a deficit of Rs 62. Chikkamagaluru depot showed the highest deficit at Rs 19,624.
Passenger rights advocate B Radheshyam, who had filed multiple complaints with the Mangaluru KSRTC office, criticised the policy, stating, “Rounding off fractions like Rs 35.40 to Rs 35 is understandable, but increasing Rs 36 to Rs 40 is a 14.3% hike and amounts to exploitation.”
Though KSRTC officially withdrew the policy last Friday, public criticism continues on social media. One user questioned how the chief minister, who objected to a one-paise-per-kilometre hike by railways, failed to address KSRTC’s excessive fare rounding. Others slammed the opposition BJP for not raising its voice against what they termed ‘daylight extortion’ by the transport body.