Unless KSRTC ticket prices are increased, it’s difficult to survive: Chairman Srinivas

TUMAKURU: The chairman of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), S R Srinivas, has said the corporation is facing a loss of Rs 295 crore in the last quarter and that it is very difficult if the ticket prices are not increased.

Speaking to the media, he said that the KSRTC bus ticket price will increase soon. The corporation held a meeting and it plans to increase the ticket prices by 15-20 per cent to overcome this loss, he said.

He attributed this loss to various factors, including the increase in fuel prices, the cost of new buses and salary revisions of employees. “The price of spare parts has increased. Due to all these reasons, the legislators have justified the fact that the increase in ticket prices is inevitable”, he said.

The chairman justified this decision, said that the corporation cannot rely on the government to compensate for its losses every time.

“There is no question that male passengers being burdened by the increase ticket prices. It will also apply to women passengers who travel under the Shakti scheme, but the government will bear the cost of this increase. The corporation is already facing a loss of Rs 295 crore; it is not right to ask the government to compensate for the loss every time. However, the ticket price should be increased to cover the loss and save the organisation”, he said.