Private bus operators in West Bengal are demanding a nearly 60 per cent increase in fares to cope with the hike in fuel prices. The operators may also resort to a strike if fares are not revised.
“Given the increasing operating costs, we would like the fares to go up by up to 60 per cent,” Tapan Banerjee, joint secretary of the Joint Council of Bus Syndicate , told Business Line . He said the bus operators’ body has already submitted detailed reports on operating costs to the State transport department and requested the Government to increase the fares accordingly.
Hit by a recent increase in fuel price and higher operating cost, nearly 50 per cent of the private buses have stopped plying across the State, he added. According to Indian Oil Corporation’s Web site, non-branded diesel price have gone up by about 45 per cent over the last three years since July 2009, in Kolkata.
Waiting for action
“We are eagerly waiting for a positive decision on fare hike by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee before October 29. No fruitful decision may lead to an indefinite strike thereafter,” Deepak Sarkar, Vice-President of Bengal Bus Syndicate, said.
Banerjee said the chief minister promised the operators of a fare hike at a meeting on October 8. He added it would be “a natural death” of the private bus transport system in the State without an immediate hike in fares.
“Diesel price has been increased by 45 per cent here since 2009. So, the fares should go up accordingly. We are not taking the higher operating cost into account,” Sarkar said.
Both the operators’ associations control about 95 per cent of the 42,000-odd private buses plying across the State.
JNNURM buses
Banerjee said of the 685-odd buses under JNNURM scheme (operated on a public private partnership basis), more than 350 buses were already off the roads. This has been attributed to the widening gap between fares and higher operating costs of these buses.
West Bengal is the only State that operates JNNURM buses through PPP route.
“Minimum fare for the buses running under JNNURM scheme should be increased from Rs 5 to Rs 8 (for non-AC category) with immediate effect,” he said.