Demand for transport charge hike unreasonable\'

Thiruvananthapuram: The Residents Associations Federation of Kerala has condemned the tendency to demand a hike in public transport charges, every time fuel prices go up.

The State committee of the federation, which met here on Friday, said Kerala was the only State where the authorities justify a hike in bus charge, citing the losses sustained by the State Road Transport Corporation.

This, the meeting said, fuelled a similar demand from private bus, auto and taxi owners.

The federation said transport bus owners were not filing the mandatory income-expenditure statements to the regional transport authority.

This, it noted, had led to the failure to assess the returns. The meeting also observed that the unscientific determination of fare stage was detrimental to the interests of the people.

A resolution adopted by the meeting called on the government to leave the decision on transport tariff to the new regulatory commission.

President of the federation Amaravila Ramakrishnan Nair presided over the function.