Bus owners complain cut in fare, vow strike
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 7
The bus fare hike offered by the State government actually amounts to reduction in the fare for private city buses, claim the bus operators.
The government in their recent directives has increased bus fare by ten paisa per kilometer and Rs 5 for first three kilometers remains unchanged.
However, pointing out to the government notification over fare hike, All Goa Private Bus Owners Association, general secretary Sudip Tamanakar said that there has been decrease in the ticket fare for the first three kilometers for city buses.
“As per notification, for the first three kilometers, Rs 4 has been reserved for city buses while other buses have to charge Rs 5 for the first five kilometer,” Tamankar said.
“We can’t understand what they really want to say. If we go as per this notification the city buses will be under loss by Re 1 whereas others will gain the same, what they were earning before hike,” he added.
Earlier, the private buses across the State were charging Rs 5 for first three kilometers thereafter 45 paisa per kilometer.
“Statistics wise, we will earn only Rs 8 for first nine kilometers, where large section of people travel,” he said.
He said each bus carries hardly few passengers for longer distance. “Each route is shared by a number of buses with a gap of just five minutes. Hence people prefer to travel by those buses, where there is sitting arrangements,” Tamankar explained.
“Where we have to pay nearly Rs 30 thousand for tyres every year, bribe of lakhs of rupees and now Rs 5 after diesel, what will we earn? he questioned.
Hence, he said, unless the government came out with 20 paisa fare hike by July 11, they would go ahead with indefinite strike from July 12.
The Association in its charter of demands has asked for subsidy on diesel prices, two tyres to each bus operators under social welfare scheme, concession on passenger tax, an office in each bus stand and permits to run buses on nationalized routes in the State.
