| Govt assures genuine fare hike, strike deferred for 15 days | | Transporters' strike paralyses normal life | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 30: The normal life was paralysed in Jammu and Kashmir as more than 75000 passenger vehicles were off the road on Monday on the call of All JK Passenger Transporter Welfare Association (AJKTWA) for fare hike.
There was no passenger vehicle on the road since morning in Jammu and people were wandering here and there for the lift to reach their destinations. Attendance in the schools, colleges and offices were very less as the most popular transport of Jammu (Matadors/Mini buses) were also off the road.
AJKTWA has given one day call from strike in the state to demand 40% hike in the passenger fare in the state. The transporters have also protested against the government in different parts of the state.
"There was a complete Chakka Jam in three regions of the state, It was a one day token strike to highlight our demands to the government," said Anil Chopra, Sr. Vice President AJKTWA.
AJKTWA has now given 15 days time now to finalise the fare hike, and they are hopeful that the government will come forward with a solution.
In a meeting with the Committee constituted by the government, under the chairmanship of Transport Commissioner, the transporters have expressed their views and demands. The committee has asked the transporters to submit the cost of operations, so that a reasonable fare hike can be considered.
Sanjeev Verma, Transport Commissioner, Jammu and Kashmir said, "We have asked them to show the cost of operation. It is true that the cost of diesel has increased, but public in-large is involved in this issue, so we cannot hike the fare as per their demands."
"We have appealed them, not to put people in inconvenience and also assured them that a genuine fare hike can be considered within few weeks," he added.
Taking the meeting as positive response from the government, transporters have deferred their strike for 15 days. "We have deferred our strike for 15 days, as the committee has assured us to make genuine fare hike in our favour, we will submit the cost of operation within two days and will wait for their decision for 15 days," said Chopra.
The common man on the one hand has suffered whole day due to the non-availability of passengers transport and on the second hand, worried for the fare hike, which will once again hit his pocket.
"I had an interview today at Udhampur, but I didn't get transport to reach the venue, I had managed to get lift in a private car, but it was too late, said Sahil Sharma, an unemployed youth.
Priya Mahajan, a student of English department of Jammu University has forced her father to get leave from his office as she has submit her assignment today, so that her father can drop her at university from Akhnoor.
Rohan Pandita, a teacher who is worried about the fare hike said, "I don't know how much they will increase, but it will hit our budget once again." "The hike in the price of diesel has left the common man with no option, I don't know how we will survive in this scenario?" he added. |
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