JK transporters demand fare hike, relief package, threaten agitation

The transporters want a 50% hike in passenger fares because they would be able to run buses only at 50% capacity to maintain social distancing.

Transporters in Jammu and Kashmir served a three day ultimatum to the government on Saturday to respond to their demands for a relief package for the sector, resumption of commercial transportation and a 50% fare hike failing which they would launch an agitation across the union territory.

Transporters in Jammu and Kashmir claim that their vehicles have lying idle and the transport sector has not received any relief from the government. (HT PHOTO)

The All J&K Transport Welfare Association said that passenger vehicles would be able to carry 50% of the total capacity to maintain social distancing any further delay on a fare hike may sound a death knell of the transport industry.

The Association’s chairman TS Wazir told reporters that all commercial vehicles had stopped operating on March 15 and have remained off the road since then in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

“The government has announced relief package for all the sectors but we have been left high and dry. Transporters have suffered huge losses due to the lockdown. While rail and air traffic have been resumed and liquor vends have been opened, we are not allowed to run our vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said and referred to Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan where fares have been hiked by 20 to 30 percent and the vehicles have started plying while following the SOPs.

Wazir also urged the government to announce a waiver of interests on loans and insurance to transporters for the past six months.