Kochi: Private bus operators across Kerala have announced a statewide strike on July 8, demanding an urgent revision of the student concession fare. The decision was made during a joint meeting of bus owners held in Thrissur.
The core demand is to raise the minimum student fare from ₹1 to ₹5, citing unsustainable operational costs. Bus owners argue that a major share of their passengers are students, and running services at the current fare is no longer financially feasible.
Warning of further escalation, the operators declared that if the government fails to act following the July 8 protest, they will launch an indefinite strike from July 22.
Criticizing the state’s inaction, the committee accused the government of delaying implementation of fare revision recommendations submitted by an official commission. Without a fair revision, they warned, the survival of private bus services in Kerala is at stake.
