States » SouthPosted at: Nov 5 2026 2:37PM


BJP, trade unions protest bus fare, milk price hikes in Karnataka

Bengaluru, Nov 5 (UNI) Successive increases in public transport fares, milk and curd prices in Karnataka have added to the financial burden on ordinary households, triggering protests by political parties and trade unions even as families grapple with rising living costs ahead of the festive and wedding season.
From daily bus commuters to households buying milk and curd, the cumulative impact of the price revisions is being felt across urban and rural Karnataka, with the Opposition accusing the Congress government of making essential services and commodities increasingly expensive.
The latest round of increases has pushed up bus fares by an average of 23 per cent in the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and other state-run transport corporations, while fares in the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) have risen by 33 to 35 per cent.
The transport fare revision comes close on the heels of an increase of Rs 4 per litre in milk prices and Rs 14 per litre in curd prices, adding to monthly household expenditure.
The price increases have also raised concerns among small businesses, particularly hotels, restaurants and tea stalls, where milk and dairy products are essential inputs and higher procurement costs could eventually translate into higher prices for consumers.
The BJP has stepped up its attack on the government, staging protests against the bus fare and dairy price increases. Party workers gathered at Bengaluru's Majestic bus terminal on Thursday, demanding the withdrawal of the fare hike and alleging that the government was shifting the burden of its financial mismanagement onto the public.
The All India United Trade union Centre (AIUTUC) has also demanded an immediate rollback of the transport fare revision. Its Karnataka State Secretary K Somashekhar Yadagir described the increases as anti-people, arguing that losses suffered by transport corporations were the result of mismanagement and corruption rather than passengers.
The trade union said the successive increases were particularly difficult for working-class families facing unemployment, stagnant wages and rising prices of essential commodities. It also highlighted the economic difficulties confronting rural households in drought-affected areas.
The government, however, has defended the milk price revision, maintaining that the increase is intended to improve returns to dairy farmers. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has said that the additional amount would largely be passed on to milk producers and dairy unions.
The bus fare increase has similarly brought the financial condition of state transport corporations and the cost of operating public services into focus.
Beyond the political confrontation, the developments have raised a larger question about the growing cost of everyday living in the state, particularly for lower- and middle-income families who depend on public transport and dairy products as part of their daily routine.
With transport, milk and curd becoming costlier within a short span, household budgets are facing pressure on multiple fronts, turning the latest price revisions into a wider debate over affordability, public service finances and the cost of living in Karnataka.
UNI BDN
Tags: #BJP# trade unions protest bus fare# milk price hikes in Karnataka
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