Poll effect: transport units keep bus fare hike on hold

As war over hike in fuel prices continues between the Shiv Sena and the Congress-NCP alliance,the Sena- ruled municipal transport units have decided not to hike bus fares.

As war over hike in fuel prices continues between the Shiv Sena and the Congress-NCP alliance,the Sena- ruled municipal transport units have decided not to hike bus fares. After the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking,Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) and Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Transport (KDMT) are also opposing the fare hike proposed by respective civic bodies.

Following the hike in fuel prices,the BEST administration in June had proposed to raise bus fare by Rs 2,but the decision was later deferred till July 5,the day when opposition parties had called for a country-wide bandh. Since the bandh bore no positive results,the Sena decided to defer the hike until the central government gives subsidy on fuel to the BEST.

The other municipal transport bodies controlled by the Sena were quick to follow the suit. It is to be noted that municipal corporation elections in Mumbai and Thane are to be held in January 2012 and Kalyan-Dombivli civic polls will be held in October 2010. Meanwhile,the NCP- ruled Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT) Tuesday hiked the minimum bus fare. Now,the minimum fare in an ordinary NMMT bus is Rs 5 and in an AC bus is Rs 10.

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But the political parties do not see the losses faced by municipal transport units. Now that NMMT has done it,we would also push for the hike proposal, said a senior TMT official. The proposal of fare hike came up for discussion in TMT committee on July 23. How can we hike the fare when we are not providing quality services. We have already procured 100 new buses under the JNNURM and 100 more will soon be commissioned. We will oppose the fare hike proposal, said TMT chairman Baban More. If the fare is not raised,the TMT will a face a loss of Rs 7 lakh a day.

Similar is the case with the KDMT too. The KDMT administration would propose to hike the minimum fare to Rs 5. If the fare is not raised,the transport unit will face a daily loss of Rs 18,000. We will not hike the fare as polls are to be held in October, said Shiv Sena corporator Ravindra Parab.

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