TSRTC bus fare hike makes passengers prefer KSRTC

Hyderabad: The fare hike by the TSRTC has badly affected the occupancy ratio in the buses plying on the Hyderabad -Bengaluru stretch.

The TSRTC had hiked the ticket tariff after the 52-day-old strike was called off. Since then the TSRTC has been charging Rs 1,350 to Bengaluru as against the earlier rate of Rs 1,010. The KSRTC is charging only Rs 950 per person.

As a result, the average passengers travelling by the TSRTC buses has come down. It is said that on an average about 15 passengers were travelling by TSRTC buses while KSRTC buses registered 100 per cent occupancy.

Officials said that the TSRTC is operating 33 bus services on Hyderabad-Bengaluru stretch every day. The Hyderabad-Bengaluru stretch has been a high earning route for the Corporation with many youth particularly the techies, who work in Bengaluru often travel by buses.

The occupancy ratio was 100 per cent during the weekends on TSRTC buses. The Corporation used to charge Rs 100 additional to the existing fare during the weekend in view of the huge demand from the passengers.

"The passengers are coming and enquiring about the fares but not travelling in the buses," said a conductor who wished not to be named.

Sources said when the TSRTC personnel brought this to the notice of the higher-ups in Hyderabad, they asked them to approach the Karnataka officials to hike their ticket fare.

Based on the official orders, when the personnel approached KSRTC officials, they refused to increase the fares stating that they have tough competition and would not want to lose passengers.

With passengers not preferring the TSRTC vehicles, the Karnataka authorities are taking advantage of this and operating additional special buses. The KSRTC officials are operating seven to eight special buses to clear the rush of passengers in their buses.

The union leaders have criticised the attitude of the officials for not taking corrective measures. "Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao wanted the officials to take steps to bring Corporation into profits but the officials are not taking steps in that direction.

If the officials do not act in time, all the passengers would shift to other operators leading to further losses. What will be the use of running buses without passengers?

It will be wasteful expenditure on diesel and two drivers in the bus," said a union leader. He demanded the management to take corrective measures immediately.