Private bus operators will go on an indefinite strike across the State from Friday to press their demands including a further hike in minimum bus fares to ₹10.
The decision, taken at a meeting of the joint co-ordination committee of bus operators’ associations here on Thursday, was in view of the spiralling fuel prices and operational costs, the operators said.
Hunger strike
Representatives of each association will also hold a hunger strike in front of the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram from February 19. Though the State government has announced a raise in the minimum charge from ₹7 to ₹8, private bus operators feel that it is insufficient to bail out the sinking sector.
“The indefinite strike will be withdrawn only if the government considers fixing minimum fare at ₹10. All private buses, including city and mofussil services, will take part in the strike,” said Lawrence Babu, president of the co-ordination committee and general secretary of Kerala State Private Bus Operators Federation.
While the minimum fare was increased to ₹8 for ordinary services, that of fast passenger buses was hiked to ₹11 while for executive and super express services, it was ₹22. Super deluxe services will be priced at a minimum of ₹30, hi-tech luxury AC services at ₹44, and AC Volvo at ₹45.
Students’ fare
The demands also include a proportional rise in students’ concession ticket charges.
“Students form nearly 60% of our passengers. But the government didn’t revise the minimum fare for them. The rates were last revised by the State government in 2014. Since then operating expenses have increased manifold,” said T. Gopinath, State general secretary of the All Kerala Bus Operators Organisation.
The other demands are withdrawal of the hike in road taxes, inclusion of fuel prices in GST, and renewal of permits to private buses.
