KOLKATA: Private bus operators on Monday wrote a letter to state Transport minister Firhad Hakim, urging fare hike in the wake of spiralling fuel price hike by the Modi government.
"We have written the letter on April 4, 2022. In the letter, we have requested the minister to kindly approve bus and mini bus fare hike," said Rahul Chatterjee, general secretary of All Bengal Bus Minibus Samannay Samity.
He reiterated that fare was last increased in the year 2018 when the price of diesel was Rs 67.80 per litre. Today, the price of diesel per litre shot up to Rs 98.22.
In Kolkata, petrol was sold at Rs 113.45 per litre (increased by 0.40 paise) and diesel at Rs 98.22 per litre (increased by 0.40 paise) on Monday.
This is the 12th increase in prices since the ending of a four-and-half-month long hiatus in rate revision on March 22, 2022.
Private bus operators claimed that they were suffering huge losses due to high cost of maintenance and less revenue generation. At present, the minimum fare of private bus is Rs 7 (0-4 kilomtre) and the minimum fare of mini bus fare is Rs 8 (0- 3 kilometre).
"We urge the state Transport minister Firhad Hakim to form a regulatory committee to prepare a balanced fare chart," pointed out Chatterjee. Since March 22, petrol and diesel prices have risen cumulatively by around Rs 6.40-6.50 per litre (i.e., by 6.3 per cent and 7.1 per cent respectively), as of March 31. Petroleum dealers are apprehending further increases in fuel prices because of the sharp jump in crude oil prices in international markets.