West Bengal government hikes bus fare by Re 1

KOLKATA: West Bengal government has decided to increase the transport fare by Re 1 in each stage. The decision was taken after a meeting was chaired by chief minister Mamata Banerjee at Nabanna with the transport operators. Transport minister Subhendu Adhikari said that the state government was forced to go for a fare hike as the BJP government at the Centre was unable to check the diesel price.
The initial fare for private buses will be Rs 7 and that for mini bus will be Rs 8. Adhikari said that the bus fare for state owned PSUs will also go up by Re 1 in each stage. The last fare hike in Bengal took place in 2014.

The state government is planning to revise the stages as well as right now the first stage is of four kilometres. Adhikari said that the fare hike notification will be issued in this week end. The transport minister tendered apology to the commuters as the state government was forced to increase the fare. Adhikari said that many people are directly linked with transport business for which the state government has decided to go for the hike.

"Even the fare hike will be effective for taxi, tram and ferry service." Adhikari said that the fare hike for taxi will be on a proportional basis.

The transport minister said that a committee will be formed headed by additional chief secretary Alapan Banerjee who will monitor the market price of oil and if the price reduces then the committee will suggest revised bus fare structure to the CM.

The transport minister ruled out the chance of any bus strike on Thursday as earlier some bus operators had given a call for strike due to high price rise of diesel. "We are competent to combat any kind of bus strike. Earlier it has been proved in general strikes as well."

However, the transport minister said that all demands of the bus operators could not be fulfilled, as the CM is against any anti-people steps, though he felt that this fare hike will cause problem to the commuters. The private operators want Rs 9 as the minimum bus fare in for local buses for the first three kilometres and that for long distance buses for first four kilometres it should be Rs 11.

However, Tapan Banerjee from joint council of bus syndicate claimed at they are yet to understand the proposed fare hike and only after checking the notification for fare hike their council will decide whether to go for a bus strike or not. "We will discuss with the members before taking a call on bus strike."

Subhas Chandra Bose from the Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators' Association said that the truck operators will go for a nation wide strike against police atrocities. He however said that the CM has insisted for not to go for overloading of trucks.