Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 16: Demanding fare hike, private buses in Kerala have decided to go off the roads from today on February 16. The decision to call for an indefinite strike is against the state government’s order which hiked government and private bus fares in Kerala from Rs 7 to Rs 8. The revised fare hike will come into effect from March 1, 2018. We will be updating you live on the private bus indefinite strike in Kerala from today, stay with us.
Kerala Bus Strike Live News Updates:
9:45 AM: In view of the Kerala private bus strike, KSRTC will run more services today.
7:42 AM: No private bus in Kerala will run today.
7:37 AM: The private bus operators have also demanded an increase in concession allowed to students by 50 per cent.
7:35 AM: While the Kerala government has revised the fare hike from Rs 7 to Rs 8, the private bus operators have demanded a minimum fare hike to Rs 10.
7:33 AM: The private buses in Kerala are going on an indefinite strike from today against the revised fare hikes.
The private buses owners have been demanding a further hike in the fares claiming the revised fares are “insufficient”. “We are disappointed with the announcement on the fare hike… It is insufficient to meet even our daily needs,” a private bus operator was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The decision has been taken in view of the spiraling fuel prices and operational costs, bus operators claimed. They alleged that several of their demands, such as bringing petrol and diesel under the Goods and Services Tax (GST), constitution a regulatory committee, and withdrawal of hiked road tax, have not been addressed by the Kerala government.
The private bus operators have also announced to hold an indefinite hunger strike in front of the Thiruvananthapuram secretariat on February 19. Kerala Transport Minister AK Saseendran on Thursday appealed to the private bus operators to withdraw their decision to go on an indefinite strike.
On Wednesday, February 14, the Kerala government increased the minimum fare for government and privately-run bus services from Rs 7 to Rs 8. The minimum fare for the fast passenger buses has been hiked from Rs 10 to Rs 11. The Kerala government had last revised the bus fares in March 2014.
Announcing an indefinite bus strike, the private bus operators have demanded a minimum fare hike from Rs 7 to Rs 10. They have also demanded an increase in concession allowed to students by 50 per cent. Stay with us to catch the instant live news on Kerala infinite private bus strike.