Bus travel to become costlier in Bengaluru from New Year? All you need to know

The Bangalore Metro Transport Corporation  (BMTC) will hike the daily and monthly passes rates of the air-conditioned Vajra buses in Bengaluru from January 1, reported The Times of India. 

While the daily Vajra pass, which currently costs Rs 100, will reportedly start costing Rs 120, the monthly Vajra pass will also increase to Rs 1,800 from the current Rs 1,500. The rate includes 5% of GST as well.

The report also quotes officials as saying that the fares of long-distance Vajra travel will also go up. The ticket rate to Magadi will increase by Rs 10, and Anekal and Doddaballapur routes will see a hike of Rs 5. There will be no change in non-AC and Vayu Vajra bus fares. 

However, the BMTC has said that free rides on Sundays for non-AC monthly pass holders to travel in Vajra services have been cancelled. "We have withdrawn free travel in Vajra buses for non-AC monthly pass holders on Sundays. We have also increased the rate from Rs 20 to Rs 25 during all days for non-AC monthly pass holders to travel in Vajra buses," an official was quoted as saying. 

According to the report, these decisions have been taken after BMTC faced operational losses due to an increase in diesel prices.

New BMLTA bill 

The announcement comes days after the Karnataka assembly passed the Bengaluru Metropolitan Land Transport Authority (BMLTA) Bill, which is aimed at the "regulation of development, operation, maintenance, monitoring, (and) supervision of urban mobility" by integrating all public transportation services in Bengaluru.

Currently, the BMTC looks after bus services in the city, Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) the metros, the Karnataka Transport Department and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike oversee intra-city travel.

Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had asserted that the BMTC will become the top transport corporation in the country by improving its services and look, ensuring efficient utilisation of human resources.

Noting that it would be difficult to operate transport corporations with the help of government subsidies, the CM had stated that a committee headed by retired additional chief secretary MR Srinivasa Murthy has been constituted for the revival of the transport corporations.

Apart from presenting its recommendations on plugging the loopholes in the transport corporations, the committee would also suggest ways and means for improving their service, raising resources and thus turning profitable, Bommai said.