THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The private bus operators in the state have withdrawn the ongoing strike following the talks with chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and transport minister Antony Raju on Sunday morning.
Vijayan assured them that the bus fare hike will be finalised in the LDF meeting scheduled on March 30 and the government has already agreed for the bus fare hike. The private bus operators said that they were forced to go on a strike since there had been an inordinate delay from the government in taking the decision for the fare hike.
It was in November 2021 that the bus operators approached the government with the demand.
The CM also acknowledged the struggle faced by the private bus industry due to the pandemic period and agreed to our demands, said the T Gopinath , the leader of the private bus operators coordination committee, after the talks.
The indefinite private bus strike demanding a fare hike completed three days on Saturday. They have demanded an increase of the minimum fare to Rs 12 from the present Rs 8 and to hike the minimum concessional fare charged for students from Rs 2 to Rs 6. Besides, the operators have sought an increase in the kilometre charge from the present 90 paise to Rs 1.10 per km and waiver of road tax for the Covid-19 pandemic period.
