It's a chain reaction gone bad! An increase in the petrol prices has prompted the BMTC to ponder if they should increase the bus fare by 15-18 percent. This will not only affect those who are relying on BMTC buses for transportation but also increase the amount of pollution and traffic in the city.
The earlier demand for a 20 per cent hike in the fare was reduced to 18 per cent. The government might even reduce it by two-three per cent further below.
We talk to city dwellers who use BMTC buses to find out how it might affect them.
Bhagya Laxmi, a private firm employee travels a distance of 43 km to reach her place of work. To voice the inconvenience caused to her and many others like her, a group of 25 people have written a petition to BMTC to reconsider their decision.
She says, “I earn Rs 12,000 a month. After paying all the bills and taking care of the other expenses of a normal household I hardly have anything left. Travelling from Devanahalli to Koramangala isn't something I can turn into a luxury by taking a cab. Hence, I take the bus, despite the several problems I face. Increasing the fares will only cause further burden to people like me. We had written a petition to BMTC and they promised to respond with a text message but we haven't received any response so far.”
Gaurish Rao, a student from Jain College pursuing his masters in Journalism and Mass Communication, depends on BMTC buses for his commute to and from college. When asked whether the hike might affect him, he says, “I am given a fixed allowance for each month. From the allowance, I spend Rs 40 everyday on bus tickets. In a week I easily end up spending over Rs 200. I started using the BMTC buses because I assumed it was cheap, but turns out, it's really not. If there is any further increase in prices, I will stop taking the buses and start bike pooling with a friend. That way we can split the cost of petrol and it won't cost me more than Rs 180 a week. I might even dodge some peak hour traffic.”
The hike is not only causing an inconvenience for those who are dependent on it; It will also add on to the reasons for the pollution levels in the city sky rocketing.
Nithyashree Tulasiram, a graphic designer in an employee engagement firm, says, “I am not dependent on the BMTC buses but I preferred taking them because they were cheaper than cabs.
But if it is at par with me pooling with another person in a cab, then it's not a viable option at all. With all the vehicles on the road I was happy to not be contributing more to the pollution in the city; I am one stepaway from reconsidering that decision. People will be more prone to take cabs and increase our already existing traffic problems if they do so.”
