Friday, July 15, 2011: The Transport Minister VS Sivakumar said in the assembly that the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) is now running at a loss of Rs 40 crore per month and Rs. 12 lakh a day due to the hike in diesel prices.Minister said that the present situation demands an increase in KSRTC bus fares, due to the hike in fuel price.
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Sir,
The ordinary people who rely on the Kerala State Transport Corporation
(KSRTC) and private buses for travel will be collectively spending about Rs.
1,750 crore more if the bus fare hike is made again.
Each of the 4,555 KSRTC buses and around 32,200 private buses would be
gaining a minimum average additional income of Rs.750 a day if the increase in
fare is made again. . This was several times more than the additional cost they
would be incurring after the recent fuel price hike. The need of the hour is to
decrease the increased road tax levied on buses. We the passengers request the
peoples’ Government in Kerala to kindly reduce the road tax levied on buses and
not to make any hike in the bus charge which will be a blow to the common man
who is finding very difficult in maintaining a livelihood. The increase made
in the gas cylinders, the spiraling prices of essential commodities make the
common man living a burden.
Bus passengers in Kerala were already paying 55 paise per km of bus ride. Still
it is 28 paise in Tamil Nadu and 38 paise in Andhra Pradesh. The minimum fare
in Tamil Nadu was Rs. 2, for which a passenger could travel 4 km.
Each bus, on an average day, carried 800 to 900 passengers. Of them, 300 would
be minimum-fare passengers. The average additional cost of Rs. 200 per bus a day
caused by the diesel fare hike could be more than offset by the proposed bus
hike.
The recommendation made by the Fare revision Committee should not be taken into
account since the chairman was working for the Bus owners Advocate during good
olden days and the passengers did not get any justice from the hearing they had
with the passengers. In this connection,the Rabindran Nair Commission and the
Sheela Thomas Commission had wanted a minimum fare passenger to be allowed to
travel a distance equal to the minimum fare divided by the rate per km. The
Rabindran Nair Commission had said in its report, “It seems appropriate to lay
down that the minimum charge for ordinary service should not exceed the rate
that would be applicable to five kilometres of distance.. So we, the passengers
request the Government of Kerala to kindly allow the passengers to travel 5Kms
for the minimum distance as enjoyed by them before 1989. Passengers are not
against fare-revision but justice should be done to the passengers by allowing
them to travel 5Kms for the minimum fare.
Hence, We, the passengers request the Shri Oommen Chandy, Hon.Chief Minister of
Kerala to kindly direct the Transport Department to adhere to the directions
given by Sheela Commission Report and Rabindran Commission Report so that the
common man who struggle to meet the both ends of life due to spiraling prices of
essential commodities and also gas price hike will be much benefited. Every
passenger should be able to travel 5Kms for the minimum fare. We the
passengers request the Government to kindly publish the Sheela commission and
Rabindran Commission report immediately which will be a solace to the Common
Man.
Yours faithfully,
FOR PASCHIMAKOCHI PASSENGERS’ ASSOCIATION,
S.PADMANABHA MALLYA,
COCHIN.
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