Continuing their protest on Wednesday, college students in Vellore demanded an immediate roll back of the recent hike in bus fares by the State government.
About 200 students sat in protest at Voorhees College.
One of the protesters said students from rural areas who travelled by bus to college have been hit by the fare hike. “Many students like me come from villages. Our parents work as labourers in agricultural fields and their daily income is only ₹100. Earlier I had to pay ₹18 for one-way ticket. It has been raised to ₹35 now and I have to shell out ₹70 every day,” he said.
It might not seem like a big increase to the government but the student community has been affected. “My family has asked me discontinue studies. My mother earns ₹100 a day and what will we do if she has to spare ₹70 for bus fare alone,” he asked.
Students of Muthurangam Government Arts College and Government Thirumagal Mills College, Gudiyatham also staged protests urging the State government to withdraw the hike in bus fares.
