Private bus operators collected new bus fares from commuters in several districts on Wednesday taking advantage of a High Court ruling that they can collect the hiked fares till the COVID-19 protocol is lifted.
While the minimum fare of ₹8 and the old fares were collected by private buses that operated in the Thiruvananthapuram city limits, those who boarded buses in Attingal had to pay ₹12 as minimum fare.
In Kollam, old and new fares were collected from commuters. Similarly, operators collected old and new bus fares depending on their whims and fancies and patronage in Ernakulam. However, the KSRTC opted to collect the old fares as directed by Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran. He had asked the private bus operators to do the same as the government was filing an appeal against the High Court ruling.
More private buses operated on Wednesday in the southern districts despite confusion over the fares and the action council of bus owners leaving the decision to operate services to individual operators.
Private bus operators did not operate services in Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod with a view to pressurising the government to allow them to collect the hiked fares to offset the operational loss due to travel restrictions. Commuters were at the receiving end due to the stance of the bus operators. Those depending on private buses to reach workplaces and those hailing from mofussil areas were the worst hit. The KSRTC, which is also facing low patronage, operated only 2,400 buses.
