Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, May 21: There have been allegations of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) collecting higher fare from commuters. But KSRTC officials have denied the allegation.

Pictures of current and previous tickets issued by B C Road and Kundapur units of KSRTC buses are making rounds on social media. Some passengers have claimed that even though the tickets mention express fare, the buses stop frequently. It is being claimed that the fare between Mangaluru and Puttur has been increased to Rs 61 from 42 and fare between Kundapur and Manipal has been hiked to Rs 110.

KSRTC B C Road depot manager Shreesha Bhat, said that the number of passengers is less now and that stops for buses too are far less. Rajesh Mogaveera, manager of Kundapur depot, said that the fare collected as above was for dropping migrant workers to Indrali railway station from Kundapur. He said that this was the normal fare.

KSRTC sources said that because of less number of passengers travelling in their buses on account of social distance norms, the corporation has been incurring loss of Rs 14 per kilometre. "Running cost of bus per kilometre is Rs 36 while the collection on Tuesday worked out to be Rs 22 per km. In some routes, the collection was less than Rs 17 per kilometre, they mentioned.

Deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district, Sindhu B Rupesh, said that she has spoken to KSRTC officials about the allegation of enhancement of fare. "I have been told by officials that they are operating express buses and this fare was collected from passengers. She said that from Thursday, even ordinary buses from different depots will be run, and these buses will carry normal fare.