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The Karnataka Transport Department will begin a special enforcement drive from Friday, September 11, against private bus operators charging very high fares, carrying more passengers than permitted, and transporting goods or explosive substances in violation of their permit conditions.
Karnataka Transport Department to Take Action Against Private Bus Operators
Transport and Road Safety Commissioner R Selvamani has instructed all joint commissioners of transport to take action against such vehicles between September 11 and 15, including contract carriage buses, AITOBs (All India Tourist Omnibuses), maxicabs, omnibuses and public service vehicles (PSVs), among others.
Officials have been asked to inspect vehicles, seize those found violating rules or permit conditions, and collect the applicable penalties. However, the details of the action taken must be submitted in the prescribed format by 10 am every day. A consolidated report of the enforcement action must be sent to the department's head office on September 16. The department has also asked passengers to report complaints about exorbitant bus fares by calling 9449863429 and 9449863426.
The enforcement drive comes ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi on Monday, creating a long weekend. Private bus fares increased by up to three times on Friday and Saturday, while fares rose by around two times on Sunday.
For instance, a berth on a Volvo 9600 AC sleeper bus from Bengaluru to Hubballi for Friday is listed at Rs 5,000. Maximum fares from Bengaluru to Mangaluru, Kundapur, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kochi for Friday are around Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,999. Passengers were also surprised to see fares of Rs 6,999 and Rs 7,999 between Bengaluru and Sirsi. One user on social media platform X jokingly asked whether the bus had grown wings and turned into an aircraft.
Karnataka State Bus Owners Association's Take on it
Meanwhile, the KSRTC will operate 2,400 extra buses from Bengaluru to various destinations from September 11 to 13, with fares up to 20% higher. Most seats on these buses have already been filled.
The Karnataka State Bus Owners' Association has defended the high fares and claimed that the Transport Department does not have the authority under the Motor Vehicles Act to impose fines or cancel luxury bus permits. The association also said it was "unfair" to compare private bus operators with state-run organisations such as the KSRTC.