J-K: CPM demands rollback of transport fare hike

"The hike in transport fare is totally a one-sided, arbitrary and unjustified decision as at a time when skyrocketing prices of essential commodities have pushed the people to the brink," State Secretary of CPI(M) M Y Tarigami said in a statement here.

"The decision taken by the Government is most deplorable and needs to be opposed tooth and nail," he said.

Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in winter capital Jammu yesterday, approved re-fixing of maximum chargeable fares in case of stage and contract carriers.

As per the Cabinet decision, 14.40 per cent hike has been approved in existing fares of big buses (stage carriage), 13.49 per cent hike in mini buses (stage carriage), 12.13 per cent hike in taxi, maxi cabs (contract carriers) and 8.81 per cent hike in petrol driven auto rickshaws (contract carriage).

Tarigami said the government decision would put more burden on the people who are already suffering a great deal because of all-round price rise.

"The lower and middle income groups will be the worst hit by the increase in transport fares as only people with limited means travel by public transport," he said adding, increasing fares on the ground that the transporters are suffering losses is not a reasonable justification.

"The reason for the losses should be found out and efforts made to control it by efficient management and administration. The decision to increase fares is an anti-people step," he added.

"The state government has repeatedly failed to do its bit in reducing the price rise and instead of improving its administrative practices, it is resorting to taxing the commuter, which is unfair and unprecedented," Tarigami said while calling for an immediate rollback of the hike.

Tarigami said as had been with the recent decisions over hike in prices of diesel and LPG (cooking gas), the Government was taking one anti-people decision after another, subjecting the common man to severe hardships.