Mon Jan 06 10:20:03 IST 2025: ## Karnataka Justifies Bus Fare Hike Amidst Passenger Surge and New Fleet
**Bengaluru, January 6, 2025** – Karnataka’s Labour Minister, Santosh Lad, defended the recent increase in bus fares, citing the need for financial stability and development of the state’s transport undertakings (STUs). He highlighted the significant daily ridership of over 1.16 crore passengers, with 65 lakh being women, emphasizing the strain on the system.
The fare hike, according to Minister Lad, is crucial to support the STUs’ recent acquisition of 5,300 new buses and the upcoming recruitment of over 8,000 new staff, a move approved by the finance department. He countered criticism from the BJP, calling their opposition “unscientific and uncalled for,” and challenged them to examine the STUs’ financial state before making judgments.
Lad attributed the need for the fare increase to rising fuel costs, impacting all sectors, including public transport. He sharply criticized the central government’s inaction on high fuel prices despite a global decrease in crude oil prices, contrasting the current situation with the subsidies provided during the Manmohan Singh administration. He accused the BJP of neglecting the welfare of the common man, highlighting the Congress party’s initiatives to provide subsidized services.
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