This story is from November 11, 2019

Bengaluru: Urban poor affordability should be factored in while fixing bus fares, says NGO

An NGO Bangalore Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV) welcomed the move on Monday to reduce the bus fares.
Bengaluru: Urban poor affordability should be factored in while fixing bus fares, says NGO
Bangalore Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV), an NGO, welcomed the move on Monday to reduce the bus fares. (File photo)
BENGALURU: Bangalore Bus Prayanikara Vedike (BBPV), an NGO, welcomed the move on Monday to reduce the bus fares in the city.
“It’s commendable that the government has taken the important step of reducing the fares and committed itself to cover the deficit for BMTC. It’s not known how much reduction is on the cards. BBPV has in its past campaigns proposed various measures for fixing fares such as keeping the bus fares lower than the cost of commute by two-wheelers and other modes, and benchmarking the bus fares against the minimum wages (as large sections in the city earn minimum wages or below),” said a statement issued by BBPV.
“The cost of commute for the urban poor must not be more than 8 to 10% of their average income.
We urge the govt to take these critical factors into consideration when fixing the fares,” it said.
On the government’s move to induct 6,000 buses on lease, it said: “We are also concerned about the lease model that the government is pursuing for getting new buses. While there are immediate cost savings in leasing as opposed to buying buses, we must seriously consider if this is a good model in the long run. Even if BMTC leases buses, the buses must be operated by BMTC and the conductors and drivers must be BMTC employees. Leasing the buses should not be seen as a step to privatizing bus services in the city”.
Further, it stated: "Bus fares in Bengaluru have been the highest in the country for many years, making the bus unaffordable for low-income communities. Two wheelers, being cheaper than the bus, have also multiplied over the years, increasing congestion. The reduction in fares will make the bus affordable for a much larger section of society and also encourage two wheelers to shift to the bus, leading to better mobility options for many and reduced congestion in the city. A larger BMTC fleet is necessary to reduce overcrowding and make bus commute more attractive and comfortable for existing commuters as well as to cater to the unmet demand and the much-needed shift from private vehicles to the bus".

BBPV, which was formed after the massive increase in bus fares (50-70%) that happened in 2012, along with other citizen groups launched campaigns like 'Bus Bhagya Beku' and 'Double the fleet, halve the fare' to reduce fares over the years.
“While these measures announced by the state government are indeed commendable, more needs to be done to make the bus commute affordable, accessible, reliable, and comfortable for all. The state government and BMTC should set themselves a target of at least 70% mode share for BMTC in the next 2-3 years”, it adds.
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About the Author
Christin Mathew Philip

Christin Mathew Philip is a Principal Correspondent with The Times of India, Bengaluru. He writes on urban mobility and traffic issues. He is the winner of Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism award (2015) for his reporting on civic issues in Chennai. He worked in TOI Chennai (2011-2016) before moving to The New Indian Express, Bengaluru in 2016.

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