Fares up by ₹5 to ₹8 in private stage carriage buses across Karnataka

Private stage carriage bus operators in Karnataka have decided to levy cess on fares to cope up with increase in diesel and other input prices.

| Photo Credit: ANIL KUMAR SASTRY

Fares on private stage carriage buses in the State witnessed an increase by ₹5 to ₹8 from Monday, as the operators decided to levy cess on the existing fares to cope up with the increasing cost of inputs, including diesel.Federation of Stage Carriage Bus Operators’ Association of Karnataka president Kuyiladi Suresh Nayak told reporters in Udupi on Monday that a notification by the Transport Department authorises operators to levy cess at the rate of 4 paise per passenger per km up to 25 paise whenever there was increase in input costs.He said the Karnataka government’s VAT increase on fuel a year ago had resulted in ₹3 increase in diesel price while the Centre has recently increased diesel price by ₹8.17 in four installments. Prices of spare parts and other inputs too have witnessed steep increase over the past few years. As such, the federation has decided to levy cess to cope up with the price rise impact, Mr. Nayak said.

Federation of Stage Carriage Bus Operators’ Association of Karnataka president Kuyiladi Suresh Nayak speaking to reporters in Udupi on Monday.