Talks on fare revision between the government and private bus operators held here on Wednesday remained inconclusive.
Representatives of bus owners said they were unhappy with Transport Minister V.S. Sivakumar's offer to raise the minimum charge to Rs.5.
Mr. Sivakumar reportedly told the meeting that the expert committee constituted by the previous government had recommended increasing the minimum bus fare to Rs.5.
The committee had not proposed increasing the fare per kilometre from the present rate (55 paise). The bus operators wanted the minimum fare fixed at Rs.6 and the fare per kilometre increased to 65 paise.
The bus operators also sought an increase in the concession fares for students from the present 50 paise per kilometre to Re.1 per kilometre. A meeting with representatives of students' organisations would be held on Friday, the Minister said. After this, the issue would be discussed by the Cabinet, Mr. Sivakumar reportedly told bus operators. A decision would likely be announced on August 5. Bus operators told journalists that they would wait till then. Buses would keep off the roads from the next day if the decision was unacceptable, the operators said.
