Pvt buses allowed to ply in state; ticket fares allowed to be hiked by 15%

Raichur: In a decision that will ease the life of many residents, apart from reducing the burden on the state-owned transport agency, the Karnataka government agreed to allow private bus operators to ply, and acceded to their demand to hike fares on their vehicles by 15%.
Private buses fill a huge mobility gap in several districts, more so in Dakshina Kannada, where hundreds of people travel by them on a daily basis. The government had prohibited private buses from plying following the enforcement of the lockdown. However, the buses will have to ensure that passengers are seated at a safe distance from each other to prevent transmission of Covid-19.
Karnataka transport minister Laxman Savadi, also the deputy chief minister, in Raichur on Friday to take stock of the district’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, announced that the government would permit operations by private bus operators. “They wanted the government to allow a revision in fares by 50% so as to recover their losses. But the government has agreed to allow a 15% hike,” Savadi said.
In addition to ensuring social distancing among passengers, Savadi said that operators would have to ensure availability of sanitisers, in addition to mandating masks for those travelling by their vehicles. “Drivers and conductors must compulsorily wear masks. Operators are likely to restart operations in Karnataka in a day or two,” said the deputy CM, adding that the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation had been incurring losses owing to the excessive operational burden.
“KSRTC buses have so far helped bring back 18,000 people back to Karnataka,” said Savadi, admitting to the state government being aware of the effect that returning residents from Maharashtra and Gujarat had had on the Covid-19 tally in the state. However, the deputy CM said that the state government would assist those stuck in the three Covid-19 districts in Maharashtra to return home soon.