Bus owners stick to 15 paise hike

PANJIM, JULY 15
Notwithstanding the partial rollback in petroleum prices, private bus operators in the State said today that their demand for 15 paise hike in ticket tariff stands.
The State government on Wednesday reduced the VAT on petroleum products. The diesel and the petrol prices are been reduced by 70 and 88 paise per liter respectively.
“A decrease by just 70 paisa won’t have much effect on our diesel expenses. We still have to shell out Rs 4.24 per liter every time,” All Goa Private Bus Operators Association, General Secretary Sudip Tamankar told Herald.
“We are firm on our demand of 15 paise hike per kilometer,” he said.
The bus operators are likely to met Chief Minister Digamber Kamat over their demand on Friday.
The bus operators had expressed unhappiness over quantum of ticket hike (ten paisa) by the government, earlier this month. However, failing to impress government for 20 paise hike, the operators are now sticking to 15 paise hike in bus fares.
“We feel that 20 paise hike per kilometer was not a big deal. States like Maharashtra and Karnataka has already given hike by Rs 2 in bus fares,” Tamankar said.
Meanwhile, some of the city buses have already started to charge as per new rates.
For every nine kilometers stretch Rs 9 is being charged and 55 paise per kilometer after first three kilometers. Even the Kadamba Transport Corporation has increased its bus fares as per latest rate.