The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : New bus fares announced; students’ ticket untouched

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Friday, Jul 11, 2008
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Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

New bus fares announced; students’ ticket untouched

Special Correspondent

Talks with student organisations, bus operators soon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The government has decided to increase the bus fare in the State by rates ranging from 5 paise to 20 paise a kilometre in view of the rise in the cost of diesel and all other inputs needed for stage carriage operation, Transport Minister Mathew T. Thomas told the Assembly on Thursday.

Making a statement, he said the per kilometre fare increase would be seven paise for ordinary buses, while it would be five paise for fast passenger, super fast, super express, super deluxe and semi-sleeper buses.

For air-conditioned/high-tech buses and Volvo buses, the fare would be increased by 10 paise and 20 paise per kilometre respectively.

In the case of students, concession ticket rates prevailing now would continue till the demand of the bus operators for a rise was discussed with student organisations.

The bus operators have been demanding for a long time that students’ ticket fare should be fixed at least at the level of 25 per cent of the normal fare in ordinary buses. They had also complained that the present minimum charge of 50 paise for students was too low and should be revised, the Minister said.

With the increases announced, the per kilometre charge will go up to 55 paise for ordinary buses, 57 paise for fast passenger buses, 60 paise for super fast buses, 65 paise for super express buses, 75 paise for super deluxe/semi sleeper buses, 90 paise for air-conditioned/high-tech buses and Rs.1.10 for Volvo buses.

NATPAC study

The Transport Minister said Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and all private bus operators’ unions had wanted a bigger hike in the fare. The government got the whole issue studied by National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (NATPAC) here. NATPAC’s found that the ‘price index for stage carriage operation’ had gone up from 184.98 in September 2005 to 210.46 in June 2008.

When the Minister finished his statement, Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy urged the Speaker to permit a discussion on the subject. Speaker K. Radhakrishnan said he would consider the demand.

The new rates would come into effect with the issuance of the government order on the subject.

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