Will cut bus fares if government extends tax exemption to RTCs: Ramalinga Reddy

BENGALURU: Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy today said his deparment would reduce bus fares if the state government extends tax exemption to all road transport corporations (RTCs) and provides travel subsidy to students.

"We will reduce bus fares if the state government extends tax exemption to all road transport corporations and provides travel subsidy to students," he told reporters here.

The price of diesel had come down by Rs 6.18 per litre recently, which prompted the JDS and BJP in Karnataka to demand reduction in bus fares.

Reddy said the government cannot reduce the bus fares as fuel prices under deregulation does not remain stable - it depends on international crude price, which fluctuates.

He also said the cut for now was not possible as there had been an increase in salaries, bonuses and spare parts prices and fluctuations in fuel and dollar rates.

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, North-West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and North-East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation had hiked fares by 7.96 per cent from May 4 this year.

The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, on the other hand, had increased the fares by an average of 15 per cent from April this year.

On streamlining garbage disposal in Bengaluru, the Minister said the new garbage disposal units will be ready in next four months and the city will have garbage disposal capacity of 2000 MT by then.

"The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) (city civic body) is gearing up to set up processing units at Lingadeeranahalli, Doddabiderkallu, Chikkamangala near Electronics City and at some other places," Reddy said.

Asked about meeting the Mandur deadline, Reddy said the government will stick to it. The government had set December one deadline for the BBMP to stop dumping waste at Mandur landfill after the villagers protested against it.