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Transport Minister takes U-turn on 25% bus fare hike, says decision not yet taken
Earlier, the state minister had said a notification regarding a 25% hike in fare was on the way
Himachal Pradesh transport minister Govind Singh Thakur on Saturday took a U-turn on the government’s decision to hike bus fare by 25%, saying that a final decision had not yet been taken.
Earlier, it was reported that the state cabinet had approved a 25% hike in bus fare in its meeting on Friday and the official notification was on the way.
The opposition, Congress and other political and social outfits had issued statements condemning the decision terming it ‘anti-people’.
Thakur admitted that the issued was discussed in the cabinet. “Whenever the cabinet meets, many issues are discussed formally and some are discussed informally. The issue of bus fare hike was discussed informally but the final decision wasn’t taken,” said Thakur.
He said the state government had been getting suggestions to increase the bus fares and transporters had also raised a demand in this regard.
“However, amid the Covid-19 pandemic, different sections have suffered economic losses. The government will take a call keeping in view the welfare of every section of society,” he said.
Public transport in Himachal Pradesh was stalled in March-end after the Covid-19 outbreak. The government allowed intra-state transport to resume on June 1 with 60% occupancy. However, most private buses remained off road due non-viability and operators demanded up to 50% hike in the fare.
The government refused to increase the fare but allowed 100% occupancy in the buses during Unlock 2 that started this month.
However, the private bus operators remain adamant and want the government to hike the fare due to increased fuel prices.
The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) had also recommended an increase in the bus fare.
LAST HIKE TWO YEARS BACK
At present, the fare of ordinary buses in Himachal is ₹1.12 per km in the plains and ₹1.75 in the hills.Similarly, the fare of deluxe buses is ₹1.37 per km in the plains and ₹2.17 per km in the hills.For Volvo and air-conditioned buses, the fare is ₹2.74 per km in the plains and ₹3.62 in the hills.The minimum bus fare is ₹5.
This is the second bus fare hike during the tenure of the Jai Ram Thakur-led BJP government. Last time, bus fares were hiked by up to 24.44% on September 24, 2018. Buses are the only means of transportation in rural Himachal as the state lacks air and train connectivity in these areas.
The HRTC has 3,300 buses in its fleet while there are 3,100 private buses in the state. At present, only 800 buses are operational.
