Karnataka Government for now has decided not to reduce the fares of state road transport corporations following reduction in diesel price.
"We have decided not to cut fares of the state road transport corporations following the reduction of diesel price, for now," Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy told reporters here.
He had directed the state road transport corporations to work out details to reduce fares by 5-8 per cent.
Reddy 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.
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 also 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.
The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, the North-West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and North-East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation had hiked the 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.
