Jammu, May 22: Up in arms against the Government for not conceding to their demand of 50 percent hike in passenger fare, the public Transport unions of the State have decided to hold a meeting in Srinagar to chalk out future strategy.
 Sources said that though the administration is urging the Transport unions to defer their agitation plan and allow the committee constituted under the Financial Commissioner to examine the new fare structure, the transporters are adamant on their stand in view of rise in petrol and diesel prices. 
 Sources said that till now pressure from the political parties had kept the lid on the brewing resentment among the transport unions who blame administration of betraying the June 2010 agreement which envisaged revision of the passenger fare structure on regular intervals.
 “But the transport unions have again started to mount pressure on the administration for revision of the fare structure”, said an official.
 When contacted Anil Chopra, President All Jammu and Kashmir Passenger Transport Association said that they would meet their counterparts in Kashmir to discuss the issue. “So far we have adopted wait and watch policy, but administration would also have to consider our plight. There is immense pressure on the people who earn their livelihood from this sector and in past few years they are reeling under huge debt,” he said.
 “It is not only the fuel prices, but other things associated with it have put the sector to loss. The maintenance costs of vehicles, taxes and interest rates on loans have increased”, Chopra said. 
 Pertinently last time the hike in the passenger fare was affected in June 2010 after most of the powerful transport unions   representing more than one lakh commercial vehicles joined hands. At that time, the Transport department had enhanced the fare by 13 per cent with an assurance that it would be reviewed in proportion to the increase in the fuel prices in future.
 The actual demand of the transporters was 30 per cent hike but after the intervention of Minister for Industries Surjit Singh Slathia and Minister for Medical Education R.S Chib, it was reduced to 13 percent.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 22 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 22 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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