Date:10/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/10/stories/2008121053310300.htm

Kerala - Kozhikode

Bus operators oppose move to cut fares

Staff Reporter

Say hike in charge was minimal, warn of suspension of service

KOZHIKODE: The district unit of the All Kerala Bus Operators Organisation has urged the authorities not to impose a cut in the present bus fares.

In a statement here on Tuesday, organisation’s district president P.C. Moideen Koya and secretary K. Radhakrishnan said the hike in bus charges was minimal considering the increase in diesel price and other ancillary expenses. Under the circumstances it would be illogical to reduce the present charges. The price of diesel had increased by Rs.6 a litre since 2005. This was in addition to the rise in price of spare parts and salary of staff, all of which imposed a heavy burden on bus operators. The owners operated services on heavy loss, they said.

While the price of crude oil in the international market had fallen considerably, the price of diesel was reduced by just Rs.2.

It was impossible to reduce bus charges based on this minimal decrease in price of diesel. The operators also pointed to the continued rise in the price of tyre and other rubber products despite a perceptible fall in the price of rubber.

The bus operators would have to suspend services if the present bus fares were slashed, they said.

‘Avoid lightning strike’

The Kozhikode Jilla Motor and Engineering Workers Union (CITU) asked bus workers not to resort to lightning suspension of work on flimsy grounds. Such strikes were causing undue hardship to the public and were being resorted to without the knowledge of the trade unions.

Union general secretary T. Balan Nair alleged that such strikes were being carried out with connivance of vested interests and warned that it would not be beneficial for the bus workers.