The electrifying impact of unprecedented fuel price hike is now everywhere. Soon after the midnight declaration of hike on August 5, mass transport owners stopped plying their buses on roads the following day with the demand of fixing the bus fare anew, even though they had not been following the earlier fixed fare chart and had been charging more. By showing peculiar pretexts, they used to take more money from commuters. They introduced a ‘waybill’ and ‘checker’ system to fleece them. There were also the ‘seating’ and ‘gatelock’ services.
Because of their demand, the BRTA authorities sat with the representatives of the bus owners, a new fare chart was introduced, and the waybill and checker system was cancelled. Though yesterday at different places on the roads these queer systems were not seen, inside the buses the new fare chart was not followed and more than actual fare, sometimes even double, was charged from the passengers.
Commuters often paid the fare they demanded because of fear of being insulted. Quite often, due to lack of enforcement of fare charts, commuters get involved in quarrels or even brawl with the helpers of buses. In the past, there were incidents of deaths caused by pushing passengers from the bus by the helper as they refused to pay what the helper demanded.
Most newspapers are publishing reports on charging extra fare almost every day, yet the situation is as usual on the roads. When there is news that mobile courts with magistrates are on the roads, bus conductors seem to behave normally, but without courts, they collect fare according to their will. Now the question is: if the relevant authorities cannot enforce the fare, why do they fix the fare in the first place?
The CNG auto-rickshaws that never go by meter and usually charge double or triple the actual fare from the passengers are also charging even a much bigger amount now. However, though we are receiving news of buses charging extra fare, we have not so far heard that action has been taken against any bus. Though the bus owners have agreed on the fixed fare chart, they also do not take steps to ensure that in their buses.
The government now seems to have surrendered to the will of the owners and transport workers. And why would not the government give up? Those who have created this anarchy in the transport sector are their own people. It is they who control the whole sector.
Poverty is creeping everywhere with food inflation taking even a worse turn after the recent fuel price hike. Added to the woes of the people is the anarchy in the transport sector. An outburst by people against the government is now inevitable.
