Once again a spat between the transporters and the Government is brewing. Representatives from various Bus, Mini-bus, Taxi/ Sumo, Auto-rickshaw Operators Unions under the banner of All J&K Passenger Transport Welfare Association participated in the emergency meeting that decided to jam the wheels. Normal activities of life and business in the state have been disrupted owing to complete strike and non-plying of public transport on the roads. It is a story of total failure of authorities to handle the situation decisively and at proper time. Call for strike has come after the transporters claimed that the Government was not responding to their urgent requests to reconsider hike in fares of passenger vehicles in view of unprecedented price rise in petrol and diesel and other commodities.
It is a fact that the price of essential commodities is sky rocketing and no section of public services is without impact. The Government increases the quantum of dearness allowances and the retiring Government employees get the benefit of hiked dearness allowances besides other perks. As such the transporters cannot be wronged if they argue that they too are badly impacted by the market rate of various services.
The point is that this is the second event of its kind during past six months. Generally speaking, increase in fare for the commuters becomes an issue between the transporters and the Government for the basic reason that the Transport Department lacks a well-defined permanent policy of raising fare for city transport and others that would be commensurate with the price rise index. After all the increase in fares cannot be arbitrary or to the sweet will of the transporters. There has to be a formula which will take into account not only the existing price of petrol and diesel but also the overall increase in the cost of living. We find such a formula in place with the Transport Department of Delhi State Government and some other states also. If the authorities of the Transport Department made a commitment that the question of increased fare would be considered in due course of time and conveyed to the transporters and drivers for implementation, they should have stuck to the commitment and made revision of fares if they found it was inevitable. But just sleeping over the matter in the hope that it would be resolved by brandishing a magic wand is preposterous.
The Government should desist from the dangerous policy of giving the handle to the transporters. An amicable solution to the problem has to be looked for and implemented. Transporters should not be concerned only with increase in the fare but also with providing more comforts and easements to the commuters. Let us be frank enough to tell the transporters that they are not paying as much of attention to providing more facilities to the commuters. The mini buses plying in the cities of Jammu and Srinagar are outdated. We would like to persuade transporters to come to an amicable settlement of the issue and resolve the deadlock. Imagine the colossal loss that we are forced to undergo just because there is lackadaisical attitude from the Government.
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