Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy clarifies no immediate bus fare hike in Karnataka

Team Udayavani, Jul 7, 2024, 10:51 AM IST

Bengaluru: Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy announced in a press conference that no transport corporations have submitted proposals for a bus fare increase, and therefore, there are no immediate plans to raise bus fares in the state.

Reddy provided updates on several initiatives within the transport sector. Out of a total of 6,04,863 public service vehicles in Karnataka, 1,979 have been equipped with panic buttons so far. Measures will be taken to install these buttons in the remaining vehicles in the coming days. Additionally, 47,64,293 vehicles in the state have been fitted with High-Security Registration Plates (HSRP), with a final deadline for registration set for September 15.

Addressing staffing issues, Reddy mentioned that the transport department has 2,587 positions, of which 1,238 are currently filled, leaving 1,349 positions vacant. He assured that direct recruitment for Motor Vehicle Inspector positions will be carried out soon.

Responding to the ongoing protests by auto and taxi cab drivers, Reddy noted that 26 of their demands have already been met. He explained that some demands fall under the National Informatics Centre (NIC) of the central government. He highlighted that unlike other states, Karnataka has a unique system for school cabs, and efforts are underway to integrate this system with NIC software. Despite these ongoing processes, cab and auto drivers have initiated protests, to which the government has responded sympathetically.