Thaindian News

Kolkata, June 27 (IANS) West Bengal bus operators Sunday decided to demand a hike in fares to cope with the recent increase in fuel prices.
“We will meet the state transport minister and place our demand for increasing the bus fares so that we can cope with the increased expenditure,” Sadhan Das of Joint Council of Bus Syndicate said after a meeting.

The central government Friday agreed to the decontrol of price of petrol, which meant an increase of at least Rs.3.50 per litre in most metro cities. It also hiked the prices of diesel by Rs.2 a litre, kerosene by Rs.3 a litre and cooking gas by Rs.35 per cylinder.

“The state government has to either slash taxes on oil prices or increase the bus fare. Otherwise, it is impossible for us to ply buses. The monthly expenditure on buses has increased to a large extent,” said Trinamool Congress legislator and Bengal Bus Syndicate president Swarnakamal Saha.

Trinamool Congress legislator and president of the Progressive Taximen’s Union Madan Mitro said: “We will have a meeting with our executive council and then we will decide our next step.”