After milk and curd, Karnataka govt to raise bus fares from November 5

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Nov 2, 2026: Commuters in Karnataka will have to pay more for bus travel from November 5, with Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh confirming on Sunday that the proposed fare hike by state-run transport corporations will take effect from that date.

The announcement comes just five days after the state government increased milk prices, adding to the financial burden on households.

Speaking in Chikkaballapur, Suresh said the extent of the bus fare hike would be finalised at a meeting scheduled for November 4.

He blamed rising diesel prices for the financial difficulties faced by the four state-run transport corporations, alleging that the BJP-led Union government had increased diesel prices five times in the past year. This had resulted in an additional annual burden of Rs 2,000 crore on the corporations, he claimed.

The four transport corporations have accumulated losses of around Rs 9,000 crore, he added.

The proposed fare revision was discussed at a recent Cabinet meeting, which authorised Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and the Transport Department to take a final decision on the matter, Suresh said.

Responding to criticism from Chikkaballapur MP K Sudhakar over the proposed hike, the minister maintained that bus fares in Karnataka were lower than those in several other states.

He challenged Sudhakar to compare fares in BJP-ruled states before criticising the proposed revision. Questioning how the loss-making transport corporations could remain financially viable without a fare revision, Suresh said the government needed to take steps to ensure their sustainability.