Earlier, hundreds of workers who turned up at the state transport corporation bus stands were shocked to learn of inflated fares as 60-seat buses would carry 30 passengers for physical distancing and return vacant. (Representational)
After initially demanding inflated fare from migrant workers to transport them from cities to their homes in rural parts of the state, the Karnataka government on Saturday announced that it would charge only one-way fare.
“Only one-way fare will be collected and not two-way fare. Earlier, the bus transport facility was considered as a contract carriage since only 30 passengers were being allowed. It has now been decided to collect only one-way fare and the labour department will bear the remaining cost,” Karnataka Education Minister Suresh Kumar said.
Earlier, hundreds of workers who turned up at the state transport corporation bus stands were shocked to learn of inflated fares as 60-seat buses would carry 30 passengers for physical distancing and return vacant.
For a 500-km trip to a district such as Bagalkot in north Karnataka, KSRTC demanded around Rs 1,300 from each passenger — the regular fare is around Rs 300.