Thiruvananthapuram — The Kerala government has launched high-level discussions with student unions amid mounting pressure from private bus operators demanding an increase in student concession fares. The move comes after bus owners temporarily called off their indefinite strike, following the government’s promise to initiate negotiations.
Private bus owners are calling for a minimum student fare of ₹5, stating that the current ₹1 fare — unchanged for 13 years — is financially unsustainable, especially with the general minimum fare now at ₹10.
While the government held preliminary talks with student representatives at the Secretariat Annex, a follow-up meeting with bus owners is expected soon. Student unions, however, strongly oppose any fare hike, arguing that it will increase the financial burden on students across the state.
The government is reviewing recommendations from two key panels — the Justice Ramachandran Commission and the Raviraman Committee. The Raviraman report suggests raising the student fare to ₹2 for up to 5 km and ₹3 for up to 10 km, but bus operators have rejected this, insisting only a ₹5 flat fare would suffice.
With both sides holding firm, the issue remains deadlocked, and further negotiations are expected to resolve the fare dispute.
