Fares of Private Buses in Mangalore Increased: Commuters Will Have to Pay More

Dakshina Kannada Regional Transport Authority has increased the fares on all private stage carriage buses with immediate effect. The Canara Bus Owners Association and Dakshina Kannada Bus Owners Association, Mangaluru, and the Coastal Bus Owners Association, Udupi, had submitted demands for fare revision. The decision was made due to enhanced costs of operation following increased costs of inputs, including diesel and the pandemic. All buses operating via toll plazas may collect additional toll fee of a minimum of ₹0.04 per km, the notification said. The notification is being issued under State Government Notification of July 29, 2020, that had prescribed maximum fares to be collected on stage carriage buses. The minimum fare on city buses is enhanced from the earlier ₹8 to ₹12; but the enhanced minimum fare holds good for the first two stages, that is, up to 4 km. Operators had demanded ₹12 for the first two kilometres and ₹14 for the first 4 km.