Bangalore: Karnataka Minister for Transport M Mallikarjun Kharge today (Jul 9, 2004) dropped hints that bus fares would be hiked in the near future to offset the losses caused by fuel price hike in the State.

It has been estimated that four transport corporations of the State including BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) has been loosing about Rs 12 crore per month on account of hike in petrol and diesel prices, he told reporters.

Kharge said that the officials have been asked to workout a uniform hike in all the four transport corporations, indicating that a hike in fares was inevitable.

He said that it has been decided to add 200 new buses into the Gulbarga division for which the State Government would provide guarantee to the Transport Corporation to raise Rs 25 crore loan.

Kharge said the BMTC has turned out about Rs 85 crore profit this year and plans were afoot to add 1000 more buses to the fleet. Five hundred buses have already been purchased, he said.