Fuel price pinch: Jai Ram govt hikes bus fare by 25%
Shimla:travelling in buses would be costlier as the government on Monday increased fare by around 25% to compensate for the recent increase in fuel prices, officials said.
The minimum fare has been increased to ₹7 from existing ₹5. The decision to hike the fare of both private and Himachal Roadways buses was taken at the cabinet meeting on Monday presided by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur.
“The decision has been taken keeping in view the increased fuel prices amid coronavirus pandemic. Transport corporation is suffering huge losses after the Covid-19 outbreak,” said transport minister Govind Thakur.
Public transport in Himachal Pradesh was stalled in Marchend after the Covid-19 outbreak. The government allowed intrastate transport to resume on June 1 with 60% occupancy. However, most private buses remained offroad due to non-viability and operators demanding up to 50% hike in the fare.
The government initially refused to increase the fare but allowed 100% occupancy in the buses during Unlock 2 that started this month.
However, the private bus operators remained adamant and wanted 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.
SECOND HIKE IN 2 YEARS
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.
OTHER DECISIONS
The cabinet approved the replacement of 38 ambulances under the National Ambulance Service-108 in the state in lieu of ambulances which have outlived their economic life.
The Industries Department made a presentation on ‘Ease of Doing Business’ before the cabinet. It stressed on the development of an online system for 46 services to facilitate the entrepreneurs and improve the ease of doing business in the state.
The cabinet directed the department to move on all points of reforms in a time-bound manner.
Information and Technology
Department presented the hardware for e-cabinet and the cabinet authorised the department to go-ahead for the purchase of 16 workstations. It was decided that the third-party security audit should be done for maintaining confidentiality.
The cabinet gave its nod to withdraw the facility of free travel to Members of Parliament and MLAS in HRTC buses within and outside the state. However, this facility would continue for all former MLAS and MPS.
It decided to convert the 771 vacant posts in the cadre of assistant librarians in the education department into junior office assistant (library) for the smooth functioning of libraries of educational institutions in the state.
CONGRESS, CPI(M) CONDEMN HIKE
State Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) condemned the state government’s decision to hike bus fare by 25%.
CPI(M) leader Sanjay Chauhan said that this decision has exposed state government.
State Congress president Kuldeep Rathore said that this decision is totally anti-people.