Operators of around 12,500 private buses in the State have termed the special fares “inadequate” to overcome the crisis.
“We were expecting a 50% hike to overcome the operational loss. But the hike is inadequate,” Kerala State Private Bus Operators Federation president M.B. Sathyan and general secretary Lawerence Babu said.
Form G
They said 50% of the private buses had submitted Form G to avoid motor vehicle tax and were off the road and the fare hike did not motivate them to start operating services.
The price of high-speed diesel had gone up by ₹16 since the last fare hike in March 2018.
The price had gone up by ₹11 from June 7 to 30 and the operators needed ₹1,280 for 80 litres a day, they said.
The low-patronage due to the pandemic and restrictions on travel and daily price hike of high-speed diesel had broken the backbone of the private bus industry, they said.
The federation also criticised the decision not to hike the bus fare for students despite the recommendation of the Fare Revision Committee headed by M. Ramachandran.
‘A setback’
Johnson Payyappilly, general secretary, All Kerala Bus Operators Forum, who approached the Kerala High Court against the withdrawal of the bus fare hike, said the special bus fare would only benefit the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the super-class services.
The ordinary buses that run on short-distance routes were the worst hit as 20 passengers legally permitted to travel standing on city buses and 11 on mofussil buses were barred now.
Private bus operators depended on them for revenue and the decision not to hike the minimum fare on ordinary buses and the fare for students was a big setback to the industry, he said.
