Protests against the reported Karnataka government bus fare hike disrupted traffic in Mysuru on Thursday, with farmer organisations and other groups staging demonstrations at two locations and demanding that the increase be withdrawn.
Leaders of the Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association and the Karnataka State Farmers’ Association gathered outside the rural bus stand and raised slogans against the government. Protesters held coconut shells while expressing opposition to the fare increase and lay on the main road, blocking traffic. The action led to congestion in the area.
A confrontation took place when police moved to clear the protesters from the site, according to the report. The supplied report does not specify the duration of the blockade or the extent of the traffic disruption.
Association state unit president Hallikerehundi Bhagyaraj accused the Congress government of increasing the burden on ordinary residents after coming to power on promises linked to five guarantee schemes. He claimed that the state was using the financial pressure on its transport system as a reason to impose additional costs on passengers.
Bhagyaraj said the transport department was facing losses of about ₹24,000 crore and argued that passing the burden on to passengers was unjustified. He also criticised elected representatives for increasing their own salaries instead of contributing towards the cost of the guarantee schemes. These were statements made by the protest organisers and were not accompanied by a response from the state government in the supplied report.
The farmer organisations called on residents to oppose the reported price rise through democratic protests. Bhagyaraj also urged people not to pay the additional bus fare and referred to tax refusal as one possible form of protest. The report does not indicate whether the organisations have formally announced such an action or whether authorities have responded to the call.
Members of the Karnataka Sena Pade also held a separate demonstration outside the city bus stand. They alleged that the government had increased bus fares after already raising milk prices and described the move as an additional burden on households. The organisation demanded that the fare increase be immediately withdrawn and warned that protests would be intensified if the demand was not met.
The second group also referred to the financial condition of the transport corporations. Protesters said the corporations were struggling with losses and fuel expenses while the free-travel scheme continued to place pressure on their finances. These claims were made during the demonstration; the supplied report does not provide audited figures, a government financial statement or details of the fare order.
The demonstrations bring the operational and affordability pressures facing public bus services directly into Mysuru’s streets. A fare increase affects daily passengers, while road blockades around bus stands can also interfere with the movement of buses, private vehicles and pedestrians. The report, however, does not provide the revised fare structure, the effective date of the increase, or details of any official plan to review the decision.
The protesters said they would continue their agitation if the higher fares were not withdrawn. No official response from the Karnataka government, transport department or state transport corporations was included in the report.
