Photos passengers and KSRTC busses at Kempegowda bus stand at Majestic after the state government hiked bus fare, in Bengaluru on Thursday.
With the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation raising ordinary bus fares by up to 67%, and the average increase pegged at around 35%, commuters fear the financial advantage of taking a bus to a workplace is gradually disappearing. An ordinary BMTC monthly pass now costs Rs 1,500, while the Vajra AC monthly pass is priced at Rs 2,500. A working professional travelling 25km or more by Metro could spend around Rs 3,500-4,000 a month on tickets. Bengaluru has 1.30 crore registered vehicles, including 89 lakh two-wheelers. More than 1,600 new two-wheelers are added to the city’s roads every day. I spend Rs 30 to reach Majestic by bus and another Rs 80 to travel to Whitefield by Metro. My monthly commuting expenditure could exceed Rs 4500. Passengers relying on BMTC for short journeys of 2-10 km may also reconsider their travel choices, with revised fares for such trips ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 35. In cities such as Pune and Mumbai, passengers pay a minimum fare of Rs 10 but can travel up to 5km at that rate. In Bengaluru, however, a journey of up to 5km can cost Rs 25 under the revised BMTC fare structure.
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Urban mobility expert Ashish Verma , a professor at IISc Sustainable Transportation Lab, said increased dependence on two-wheelers could have far-reaching consequences, including congestion, more two-wheeler accidents and other cascading impacts. Vijay Kumar, who travels to work by bus and Metro, said, “People are now forced to spend thousands of rupees on public transport every month. I feel it would be better to use my bike to reach the office,” he said. BMTC officials said it could take a couple of months for the fare-hike impact to become clear and ridership to stabilise.
Bengaluru: A steep hike in bus fares may prompt more people to dump public transport and start using two-wheelers and other private vehicles, adding to Bengaluru’s already congested roads. With public transport options becoming costlier, a larger share of household income could now go towards daily commuting. Monthly passes, too, have become expensive. The cost of reaching and returning from Metro stations could push the monthly commuting bill even higher. Verma added that higher commuting expenses would eat into household budgets, leaving families with less money to spend on essential needs such as healthcare and education. The bus fare hike has triggered a rethink among daily commuters. It is becoming more convenient to ride a bike to work rather than depend on buses and the Metro. Download the TOI App.