Bus fare hike

The government's decision that bus fares would not be increased for the time being comes as little consolation to the commuters. For all that we can tell assurance by the government or not, some of the operators have already increased the fares, and the increase has been particularly noticed in the case of trucks and goods carrier.
We understand the government is considering providing rebates on import duties of vehicle spares, which is well and good. But the government should ensure that the arrangement is not exploited by the operators and that the benefit of the relief is passed on to the consumers also.
But that is only one of our main concerns. The talk of increase of bus fares when many buses in the public transport sector are run on CNG worries us too. The cost of CNG has not been increased as yet, but is likely to be. Even if the cost of CNG were to go up, the government will be well advised not to increase fares of commuter transports, now or in the long term, since the public has been seriously affected by three increases in only eleven months.
What we are worried about also is the anarchy that prevails in the transport sector following increase in fuel prices. And this was in stark evidence last September following the second round of increase of fare this year, and which may not be in evidence at this moment, but one is not sure if the situation will not descend into similar chaos once the increase is announced.
What cannot be lost sight of also is the fact that it is not only the transport sector that is affected by fuel price hike. The agriculture sector will come under severe stress with the increase in diesel cost. And in this regard the government could well have gone for a pro rata increase rather than a flat rate for all types of fuel, if at all.