Tamil Nadu: Opposition against revision of government bus fares

Chennai: Following rumours of government bus fare hike doing the rounds on social media, Tamil Nadu minister K N Nehru’s remark that a decision will be taken by chief minister M K Stalin in such a manner that it will not affect the public has triggered reactions from various corners.
Opposition leaders have urged the state not to increase fares as people were recovering from the pandemic impact only now. Responding to Nehru's comments, AIADMK coordinator O Pannerselvam on Sunday morning said, “It was impossible to increase fares without affecting the public and it was yet another lie from the ruling party.”
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss said only a few days ago, transport minister S S Sivasankar told the state assembly that fares will not be revised, but Nehru has now made a confusing comment. “People have suffered because of Covid and if there was any increase in the ticket rate, we will be the first party to protest against it,” he said.
Meanwhile, the state transport department on Sunday evening has clarified that the messages, which claim that the government bus fares will be increased from 50 paise to 51paisa are fake.
When the fares were last revised in 2018, a provision was included to allow a government-committee to change fares annually or at regular intervals. But it has not been put into effect till date because of the pandemic, said a senior official from the department, adding that, however, they have submitted the annual income and expenditure sheet of all eight state-run transport corporations to take a call on the fare changes.
Commenting on it, T Sadagopan, a resident-activist from Avadi said, “Though we would like the fare not to be changed, we understand that it is inevitable because of the rising fuel prices. But instead of increasing it at one go, it can be in a dynamic manner so that the bus ridership doesn’t reduce.”