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| Transporters' strike called off in J&K | | Passenger fare hiked by 14 pc | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | June 12
All Jammu and Kashmir Transport Welfare Association has called off its state wide indefinite strike after the state government's assurance to hike passenger fares by 14 percent and withdrawal of other taxes including service tax, passenger welfare tax etc within a week.
Sources informed News Agency of Kashmir that the high level team of state government held a negotiation meeting with the representatives of the Association this afternoon and it was decided to hike passenger fares by 14 percent in view of hike in prices of petroleum products, adding, the meeting which lasted for about two and half hours this afternoon also decided to look into the other demands of the transporters within a week.
Sources further informed that formal announcement is yet to be made by the government. "Government officials would make formal announcement in the evening in this regard. But, the transporters and government officials reached on agreement this afternoon and it was decided to hike passenger fares by 14 percent," said sources.
It may be mentioned here that the representatives of the transporters Association had two rounds of parleys with the three-member committee constituted by the government on Wednesday evening but both parties failed to reach an agreement.
Meanwhile, normal life remained paralyzed for the fourth consecutive day today with pilgrims and tourists bearing the burnt of the agitation. Various government offices, banks, schools, colleges and business establishments reported thin attendance, since commuters found it difficult to reach their destinations.
Reports said that besides Katra town, Jammu Tawi railway station and general bus stand were overcrowded with stranded passengers and the State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) vehicles, which were pressed into service, also seemed to have failed to contain the increased pilgrim rush, following summer vacations in schools.
About 75,000 private transport vehicles had come to a grinding halt in the entire state on Monday to protest against the government's apathetic attitude towards their demand of fare hike, especially after recent hike in fuel prices. |
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