KSRTC staff call back stir after minimum assurance

Thiruvananthapuram: Even as the state cabinet raised the minimum fare on the ordinary buses from Rs 6 to Rs 7 on Wednesday, unions at the KSRTC have decided to withdraw their indefinite strike announced earlier, following an assurance by transport minister A. K. Saseendran to pay pensions and salaries at the earliest. Private operators, however, decided to go on strike in the second week of January after the minister rejected their demand to hike fares with the minimum charge fixed at Rs 9.

As per cabinet decision, there would be no changes in fare stages other than minimum charges of the KSRTC. Most probably the new fare will come into effect from January. The fare was last hiked on May 20, 2014, from Rs 6 to Rs 7, which was withdrawn fuel prices dropped. However, the fares of the private operators remained the same. KSRTC MD M. G. Rajamanickam had requested the transport department in writing to hike the minimum fare when it was running at a loss and struggling to pay salary and pension. The price of diesel was increased on Saturday. When they reduced the minimum charge by one rupee, there was a loss of '25 lakh in its daily revenue.