Mysore/Mysuru: Spiking rumours of an imminent hike in bus fares, Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who is also the Transport Minister, said that KSRTC bus fares will be not be increased for now.

Speaking to press persons here yesterday, Savadi said that despite several requests from the four State-run Transport Corporations — KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC — the Government has no plans to hike bus fares at the moment.

Pointing out that though the Transport Corporations are  spending Rs. 3 crore a day on diesel, they are earning a revenue of just Rs. 2.10 crore post lockdown relaxations, Savadi said that the Transport Corporations have incurred a collective loss of Rs. 4,000 crore post the outbreak of the deadly COVID pandemic last year.

Noting that Rs. 324 crore is needed for payment of salaries to nearly 1.3 lakh employees every month, he said that Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa has so far given Rs. 2,484 crore towards employee salaries. Contending that several States have cut down salaries of employees by 40 percent citing losses, Savadi said, “However, we have not cut down salaries and the employees should understand this.”

Stating that it is the middle class and lower middle class who use public transport the most, Savadi reiterated that the Government has no intention of burdening the public by hiking fares.

Ruling out pay hike for employees, he argued that most of the demands of employees have  been met.