Tamil Nadu: Bus fares reduced after protests

The Tamil Nadu government announced a partial roll back of the bus fares after the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government's decision to raise the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) bus fares came under severe attack from the opposition and the state residents alike. After the price hike, protests erupted across the state. Commuters, students and political parties staged demonstrations with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Working President M K Stalin demanding Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy's resignation. After ten days of protests by political parties and commuters, the government today announced a second revision of state-run MTC bus fares. The minimum fare would now be Rs 4 instead of Rs 5 and the maximum would be Rs 22 instead of Rs 23. The bus fares were raised about 30 – 54 per cent on January 19 this year after a gap of six years. The fares were raised keeping in mind the rising fuel prices and to meet the salary requirements of the transport workers. For 30 km the price hike is as follows: Express/Semi-deluxe: Rs 17 - Rs24 Volvo: Rs 33 – Rs 55 Air conditioned: Rs 24 - 42 Ultra deluxe: Rs 21 – Rs 33 Super deluxe: Rs 18 – Rs 27 The new fares (for normal buses (60 paise to 58 paise per kilometre), super-fast buses (80 paise to 75 paise per kilometre), AC buses (140 paise to 130 paise per kilometre) and deluxe buses (90 to 85 paise)), were to ply from January 29. Tickets for super-deluxe buses were to be priced at Rs 85 for 30 kms. "Earlier the losses were tantamount to Rs 2 crore a day. Now with the partial rollback in fares, the losses will run upto Rs 4 crore a day. The public should realize this and co-operate", Chief Minister Edapadi K Palanisamy said. However, the opposition parties led by the DMK said they will not stop their protest until a complete roll back of fares. Source: India Today