JAMMU, Sept 21: Normal life in Jammu and Kashmir was paralysed on Wednesday as 1 lakh vehicles went on strike demanding an increase in fare rates due to petrol price hike.
Entire public transport including buses, mini buses, public vehicles and autos were off the roads in Jammu city on the call given by various transports organisation today.
“We have observed strike today as government has failed to announce hike in the fares despite rising fuel prices,” All Jammu and Kashmir Transporter Welfare Association (AJKTWA), vice-president Anil Chopra said.
Commercial vehicles including Buses, Mini-buses, public vehicles and autos suspended their work in protest against the delay in raising the passenger fare.
Due to the strike students marched towards their schools by foot in the morning and return as the same in the bright daylight. Whereas knowing of two-day strike from wednesday many of the private schools and institutions already has announced off on the strike affected days.
In the last 1 year the prices of fuel have hiked regularly and the fares of vehicle are still the same as they were increased last time at 13.50 percent, but now the transpoters has demended 50 percent increase in the passengers fare.
Where already the people are annoyed of the increase in the petrol prices and now if the passengers fare increases it will be difficult to travel in the public transport for the common man.
The demands being projected by the transporters include 50 percent hike in passenger fare, withdrawal of 10.5 per cent service tax on the insurance premium and 70 percent hike in 3rd party insurance. It is pertinent to mention here that another area of conflict between the transporters and government is the imposition of the 10 per cent service tax, which the unions claim is huge burden on them. “At a time when taxes have already broken our back, the service tax is total injustice with the people who earn their livelihood through playing vehicles”, said Surjeet Singh, another transporter.
Last year transporters were demanding 30 per cent rise in fares and had threatened to go on strike. After the intervention of Minister for Industries Surjit Singh Slathia and Minister for Medical Education R.S Chib, 13 per cent hike was approved in the commercial sector. Sources said that Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) had increased the rate of insurance premium by 80 per cent which the unions claim have further compounded problems for them. |
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