With effect from Wednesday, September 7, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) has issued an order removing the 1.5-times higher night rate on buses. The additional fee has always been charged for services that run through the city at night, between 11 pm and 5 am.
BMTC Will No Longer Charge 1.5x Fare
For services within the city between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., the BMTC has traditionally applied a premium that is 1.5 times the standard cost. The BMTC stated in the order that it operates night-service schedules for the benefit of commuters who travel late at night or early in the morning and that, in order to bring uniformity to passenger bus fares, it has instituted regular service passenger bus fares for night-services as of September 6.
Ramalinga Reddy, the minister of transport, said it is unjust to collect hefty fees at night. They made the decision to do away with the higher night bus charges in order to keep the fare system uniform. Many people who depend on BMTC buses will benefit from this.
Since June 11, 2023, women who live in Karnataka are eligible for free transportation on non-premium state-run buses throughout the state as part of the Shakti program. Soon after the concept was introduced, some groups questioned the potential financial burden the plan may have on road transport businesses.
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Live Monitoring Through New App
Regarding the BMTC’s financial effects of eliminating the 1.5x night fare, Mr. Reddy stated that there will be no negative financial effects from this change. The opposition parties had already voiced their worries that the Shakti program might have a negative impact on road transportation businesses. However, all four businesses are now experiencing an improvement in their financial situation as a result of the government paying back the ticket expenses.
It was previously stated that the official launch of BMTC’s mobile app, dubbed “Namma BMTC,” will take place on September 25 as part of BMTC’s 25th anniversary celebrations. Since April 20, 2023, Android and iOS users have had access to the app on Google Play and the Apple Store in both English and Kannada.
It also has a fare calculator, live monitoring, information on neighboring bus stops, an SOS feature targeted particularly at female riders, and more. However, several of the older buses couldn’t be located. (As per The Hindu)
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