The police removed the CPI workers protesting against the hike in bus fares announced by the APSRTC, while the CPI (M) workers took out a rally demanding the RTC drop the fare hike on Saturday.
CPI party workers, led by city unit secretary D. Markandeyulu, staged a rasta roko at Gurajada statue near RTC Complex protesting the decision of the RTC to increase the bus fares burdening the common man. The police removed the protestors and later released them on personal surety. “The spiralling inflation has already weakened the purchasing power of the common man and the hiked bus fares would only worsen the situation for them,” Mr Markandeyulu said. Member of CPI (M) city unit executive council R.K.S.V. Kumar took out a rally from the party office in Maddilapalem to the Maddilapalem Bus Station demanding the RTC to withdraw the hike in fares.
The government decision to run free services for Godavari Maha Pushkarams, Amaravathi foundation stone-laying ceremony and other such State events was causing losses to the RTC, CPI (M) city secretary B. Ganga Rao said. The government, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, instead of exploring other options of increasing revenues of the RTC was taking the easier option of passing the burden of the losses on to the common man, he charged.
It was the government which was responsible for the losses of the APSRTC and it was unfair to make the common man pay for it, he said.
Government is responsible for RTC losses and it is not fair to make the common man pay for it
B. Ganga Rao
CPI (M) city secretary
