KOLKATA: State Transport minister Firhad Hakim on Wednesday said the government would run the full fleet of buses from July 1 as private bus operators are reluctant to give service with 50 per cent seating and have demanded a fare hike. Hakim also pointed out that a cautionary letter would be sent to app cab companies (Uber and Ola) as they had increased fare without seeking approval from the state government.
Without approval from the state government, the app company (Uber) had increased the fare by 15 per cent on Wednesday. Instead of Rs 10 per kilometre, the passengers are paying Rs 14.70. Time charge has been reduced by Re 1.
On Tuesday, the app cab companies urged the state government to increase the fare of app cabs. They (app cab companies) were asked to prepare a balanced fare chart and submit it to the state government and then the decision to hike fare was supposed to be taken.
"We (government) are the license issuing authority. Whatever they (app cab companies) do, they should inform us. Metro and local trains are not running. We know there is a diesel price hike but the way they hiked the fare is not right. That's why we are sending a cautionary letter to them (app cab companies)," Hakim told reporters at Kasba Transport office.
"We oppose the fare hike. Most of the time, they (Ola and Uber companies) don't give commission to drivers. We urge the state Transport department to set up guidelines for hiking fare," said Md Manu, general secretary of Kolkata Ola Uber App Cab Operator and Drivers Union (KOUACODU).
Hakim said: "We will ply 100 per cent buses (vehicles that are in running condition). About 3,000 government buses will run in the state. At least 800 buses will run in Kolkata."
He also urged private bus operators to ply buses for the sake of the commuters.
"We will not force private bus owners to run buses. At this point of time, most of the bus owners do not have the money to buy diesel which has now shot up to Rs 92.03," said Titu Saha, general secretary of City Suburban Bus Service.