Srinagar, Nov 17: The transporters associations across Jammu and Kashmir Saturday called for complete wheel-jam on Monday to press for revision of passenger fare.
All Kashmir Valley Transporters Association (AKVTA) - representative body of transporters - while reiterating their call for strike on November 19, said there will be no change in the programme and complete wheel-jam will be observed on Monday.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Chairman Ghazi Abdul Majid said: “Our strike call is in place, despite the fact Geelani Sahab has called for strike on the same day.”
Ghazi warned the state government to hike the passenger fares immediately. “If state government does not come out of slumber, we will be compelled to proceed on indefinite strike.”
He said the government has ‘betrayed’ us. “We were given assurances by the government that the passenger fares will be increased before the Durbar move, but more than one month has passed but the government is keeping has keeping mum on the issue. While at the same time transporters’ losses are mounting due to increasing prices of diesel and spare parts,” Ghazi said.
Meanwhile, a meeting of passenger vehicle operators’ union members including buses, matadors, taxis, and autos was held at Jammu under the chairmanship of vice chairman of All J&K Transport Welfare Association Parkash Singh.
According to the spokesperson of the Association, it was decided that complete strike will be observed on Monday.
While criticizing the state government, General Secretary of the Association, Vijay Sharma said on October 8, the Standing Committee constituted by the government to look into the demands of private transporters regarding fare hike, had assured to issue notification on October 25 regarding the revision of fares, but so far no such notification has been issued.
He further said that after Durbar opened in Jammu, they had approached Transport Commissioner regarding issuance of notification, over the recommendations made by Standing Committee headed by Finance Commissioner Muhammad Iqbal Khanday, but no action has been taken, which forced them to proceed on strike.
“The passenger transport operators are incurring huge losses following sudden increase of diesel price by more than Rs 5 per litre, due to which they have been demanding revision of fare, but government is seemingly least bothered about our cause, forcing us to go on complete strike,” Sharma said.
He further said that the Auto and Taxis Union, Matador Union, Jammu-RS Pura buses Union, Jammu-Kathua route bus Union, Jammu-Poonch bus Union and others have extended complete support to wheel-jam call given by their Association. He further said that the call was jointly given by passenger transporters of Kashmir valley as well as Jammu region.
Pertinently, the Standing Committee headed by Financial Commissioner, Muhammad Iqbal Khanday is learnt to have recommended "substantive hike" of 15 percent in passenger fare.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 17 Nov 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 17 Nov 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 18 Nov 2012 00:00:00 IST