Minimum fare for students should be increased to Rs 5; private bus owners planning for strike

PALAKKAD: Private bus owners in the state are going on strike, demanding an increase in the travelling fare for students. The demand is to increase the minimum fare for students from Rs 1 to Rs 5.

The All Kerala Bus Operators Organisation announced in a press conference held in Palakkad that a revised fare is required from the new academic year onwards; otherwise, bus services will be stopped. Ahead of the strike, a bus welfare march will be held from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram. The bus welfare march will be held from April 3 to 9.

Private bus owners say that most of the passengers on the bus constitute students. The minimum fare for students had been Rs 1 for the last 13 years. The bus owners say that they cannot run anymore at this rate.