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Minimum bus fare in the State has been revised up from Rs 5 to Rs 6 and student concession rate to Re 1. The Cabinet gave the go-ahead to the revision, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told newspersons here on Wednesday.
The new minimum fare regime represents an across-the-board hike ranging from 3 to 10 per cent per km for various classes of services.
Decision on autorickshaw and taxi fares was deferred, the Chief Minister said, adding that discussions in this regard would be held separately with stakeholders.
Meanwhile, a Cabinet subcommittee had been mandated to come up with suggestions on how to deal with persistent demands for fare hike in the context of fuel price hikes in recent times.
The revision was decided on the basis of these recommendations, sources in the Government said.
MINIMUM FARE
Accordingly, minimum fare for ‘fast passenger’ buses will go up from Rs 7 to Rs 8 and that of ‘super fasts’ from Rs 10 to Rs 12, the Chief Minister said.
Minimum fare for ‘super express’ goes up from Rs 15 to Rs 17 and that of ‘super deluxe’ from Rs 20 to Rs 25.
The new minimum fare for ‘luxury carriers’ and ‘Volvo’ services has been revised from Rs 30 to Rs 35.
Fleet owners had demanded that minimum fares be fixed at Rs 7 for buses, Rs 15 for autorickshaws and Rs 100 for taxi. They were last revised in August, 2011.
Meanwhile, the Justice Ramachandran Nair Fare Revision Committee had suggested last month an increase in the minimum bus fare from Rs 5 to Rs 6.
SEPARATE COMMITTEE
The recommendation would also be applicable to the public sector Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC).
The public utility too had appealed to the Government for a fare revision following the latest hike in diesel price. Private bus operators demanded that the minimum fare be fixed at Rs 7.
Transport Minister Aryadan Mohammed had convened a meeting of the leaders of the bus operators’ unions after they served notice of a strike from October 1.
They had postponed their strike plan following the Minister’s assurance that a decision on their demand would be announced before October 10.
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