The Hindu 07.10.2010
BMTC tweaks fare stages to fleece commuters
Anil Kumar Sastry
BANGALORE: Ignoring a government order on fares for stage carriages, the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has altered fare stages to suit its convenience, exceeding the prescribed maximum fare per stage four times over.
The Government has fixed 2 km as fare stage for city bus services. While the maximum fare for the first stage should not exceed Rs. 4, the fare should be 60 paise for every subsequent stage, says a Government Notification dated July 7, 2005. M.S. Jagannathan and C. Ramachandra Reddy, senior citizens from Marathahalli, who have regularly been following the fare hikes, say that BMTC fares are the highest in the country, which come almost to Re. 1 a km. This fare is 10 paise more than the fare fixed for hi-tech services (90 paise per km) by the same Government notification. During the last 11 years, the fares were increased 11 times.Mr. Jagannathan noted that most of the fare stages of BMTC cover a distance of less than 1.5 km. He gave some examples: Corporation to Mysore Bank – 0.7 km; Mohammedan Block to Harishchandra Ghat – 1 km; HAL to Annasandra Palya – 1 km; Malleswaram Circle to Swastik – 1.5 km; Mysore Bank to Majestic – 1.3 km; Majestic to Central Talkies – 1.7 km; Kasturinagar Junction to B. Channasandra – 1.1 km; Babasab Palya to Kalyananagar Bus Stand – 1.2 km; and, Papareddypalya to Mallathalli Cross – 1.5 km. The list goes on. Though the distance between Corporation and Majestic is 2 km, the BMTC has carved out two stages on this stretch, fleecing commuters as a result. Mr. Jagannathan said from Marathahalli to Majestic the distance is 13 km and there should have been seven stages instead of the present 10. From Majestic to Harishchandra Ghat, the distance is just 3.6 km and there should have been only two stages instead of the present three. Mr. Jagannathan and Mr. Reddy demanded that BMTC should strictly adhere to the distance of 2 km while deciding fare-stages and follow the government norms while fixing the fares.
The Hindu obtained fare stages of seven routes as a test case from BMTC and found that not only had stages been shortened, but also instead of a 60 paise increase for every subsequent stage after the first stage, the Corporation has increased Rs. 2 for the next three stages and Re. 1 for the subsequent stages. Commuters are forced cough up almost Re. 1 for every km, the fare fixed for Volvo services by the Government.
