Thiruvananthapuram: Private bus operators in Kerala are set to meet Transport Minister K. B. Ganesh Kumar today, demanding a revision in student concession fares. Their key demand is to set the minimum student fare at ₹5. If the talks fail, the operators warn they will move forward with an intensified protest, including an indefinite strike.
Talks with the Transport Secretary held earlier failed to yield results, as student organizations strongly opposed any fare hike.
The bus owners have also raised other long-standing demands, including the implementation of the Justice Ramachandran Commission report on fare revision and the timely renewal of long-distance and limited stop permits.
An indefinite strike, originally planned for July 22, was postponed as a mark of respect following the demise of former Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan. However, operators now indicate that industrial action may resume if their demands are not met.
