KOCHI: Private buses will stay off the roads on Tuesday with bus operators in the State deciding to go ahead with the token strike demanding fare hike.
“Re-consideration of the speed governor rule, revision of the route allotment for KSRTC buses and hike in student fares are the other demands put forth by the bus operators,” said Private Bus Operators’ Association general secretary M B Sathyan.
Sathyan said the operators had also decided to go on an indefinite strike from December 1 if a consensus was not reached in this regard soon.
The private bus operators had demanded an increase in the minimum fares from the present Rs 3.50 to Rs 5. They had also demanded an increase in the subsidised ticket fares of students to 50 percent of the actual fare from the present 25 percent. Transport Minister Jose Thettayil had earlier made it clear that the demands of the private bus operators could not be accepted and immediate decisions could not be taken on certain issues. However, he said that talks would be held with the striking bus operators on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will press into service an additional fleet of buses on the major routes.
“As it is a state-wide strike, we will not be able to hire buses from other depots. However, we will use the buses of the respective depots for operating additional services so as to cover all the major routes,” KSRTC district transport officer G Jayaraj.