Bus Fare Hike Triggers Protests in Rourkela; Transport Workers Demand Rollback .
Rourkela, November 14 (SatyaNewsAlert): The Odisha government's decision to increase passenger bus fares once again on Thursday has triggered widespread criticism and protests from various sections of society.
With bus fares having already been revised twice this year, on May 15 and June 2, the latest hike marks the third increase in just a few months, adding to the financial burden on commuters. While earlier revisions involved increases of just 2 to 5 paise per kilometre, the latest hike has raised ordinary bus fares by 26 paise per kilometre. Fares for express buses have been increased by 28 paise per kilometre.
Protesting against the latest fare hike, members of the Sundargarh Transport Employees' Union staged a demonstration at the Rourkela bus stand on Friday. Office-bearers of the CITU-affiliated Sundargarh Motor Employees' Union and the Mini Bus Association also participated in the protest.
The protesters demanded measures to control the rising operational costs of public transport and urged the government to reconsider the fare hike. They suggested reducing petrol and diesel prices, lowering insurance premiums and cutting toll taxes to ease the financial burden on bus operators and prevent further increases in passenger fares.
The protesters maintained that instead of repeatedly increasing bus fares, the government should take steps to reduce operational expenses and provide relief to ordinary passengers.
