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| Fishing in the troubled waters | | Transporters press for hike in fares | | Early Times Special Correspondent
Jammu | Mar 7
News Analysis
Taking advantage of the piquant situation created by the indefinite strike by the workers and employees of J&K SRTC, which has now entered 18th day, paralyzing the transport service of SRTC, the transporters in the private sector have upped their ante for hike in the fares of all modes of transport. Citing increase in the rates of fuel, rupee one per litre for diesel and rupees two per litre for petrol, the transporters have been demanding revision of fares of all modes of local transport, including buses, mini buses and even auto rickshaws.
While the auto rickshaws have arbitrarily increased their rates from Rs. 20 to Rs. 25 as minimum charges, following the increase of two rupees per litre in the price of petrol used by them, which is totally disproportionate and unjustified, there have been frequent cases of quarrel ensuing between the commuters using auto rickshaw and the operators, over the charges. The mandatory installation of meters is being observed with violation by the auto rickshaw operators, with the traffic authorities looking the other way. Complaints lodged with the authorities about the arbitrary action of the auto operators in demanding higher charges, is not being paid any heed by the concerned authorities.
As far mini bus operators are concerned, although they have not yet raised the fares, yet they are sulking and complaining of high cost of operation, as a result of increase of only one rupee per litre in the price of diesel. However they cite hike in the prices of other components of their vehicles as well as in the operational cost to press for upward revision of the fares to be charged by them.
It are the owners of large sized buses who have been threatening of adopting agitational means to press their demand for increase in the bus fares. While the transporters union in Jammu has in a meeting decided to press upon the government to allow them upward revision of fares, the representatives of the transporters in Kashmir valley had recently called on the Transport Minister, Hakim Mohammad Yaseen to apprise him about the problems being faced by them due to resent hike in the diesel price. A delegation of the Kashmir Transporters Welfare Association led by its Chairman, Bashir Ahmad Matta called on the minister in Jammu three days ago. They later claimed that the minister had assured them that the government would reach a decision on the fare hike within three days. Justifying their demand for hike in the fares, they cited that apart from the increase in the oil prices, the overall cost of operation had increased, as a result of which they were incurring huge losses. The passenger tax per month has been raised to Rs. 1150 per month. Similarly the price of engine oil and other accessories has witnessed steep increase in the recent past. So has increased the insurance premium from Rs. 8000 to Rs. 18,000 per year, the transporter maintained. They contended that the hike had been long over due as the government has not increased the authorized rates for the past four years.
The transporters in Jammu cite the resent 25% hike in bus fares allowed by the government in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh and contend that the terrains and topography in J&K is almost the same, where as the hilly terrains in J&K have more heights than in HP. They also contend that at present the bus fares in JK are the cheapest as compared to any other state in the country. Although most of the other states have plains, where plying of buses is less costly than compared to J&K, most of whose parts are hilly and have high mountain roads and where running of buses cost more, yet the fares in J&K are the cheapest. However the Transport Minister Mohammad Yassen has contended that the decision about any hike of fares to be charge by the buses will be taken only after the receipt of the report by the high level committee appointed by the government and with whom the transporters have many meetings to present their case. He has, however stated that the interest of the commuters, who form the general public, will in no way be compromised to accommodate few transporters. |
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