Private Bus Operators In Kerala Threaten To Stop Services Starting 1 August

The Kerala State Private Bus Operators' Federation has threatened to halt operations on state roads starting 1 August. The Federation says they are forced to take an extreme decision because of the lack of support from the State Government.

The operators say they informed the State Government about their plight and said that running bus services was economically unviable without any support during these unprecedented times.

The Kerala State Private Bus Operators' Federation also said that the recent increase in fares announced by the State Government of Kerala has made matters worse and has increased losses.

Mr Lawrence Babu, the Chairman at the Kerala State Private Bus Operators' Federation said, "The private bus industry is going through the worst time in its history. The marginal increase in fares could have reflected in the collection but has been sucked out by the diesel price increase."

"Though buses resumed service by May 19, not even 20% of private buses have hit the roads since then. The scene did not change a bit even after the state government agreed for an increase in fare later on. Not many people are ready to board the buses due to the fear of Covid-19," he added.

The Federation also said that ever increasing prices of diesel have offset ang gains and has increased losses exponentially. The Federation said they expect the State Government to announce a relief package and help the industry recover.

Private bus operators in the state said they are in the process of submitting a G-Form at their respective RTP offices with the hope of saving some capital in the form of road tax.

Bus operators from other parts of the country also claim a lack of support from their State Governments. The State Government of West Bengal recently announced a waiver on penalty against taxes for commercial vehicles, but left out non air-conditioned private buses. To know more, click here.

Thoughts About The Kerala Private Bus Owners Federation Threatening To Stop Services Starting 1 August

Bus operators appear to be hit the hardest at the moment. We think they will be unable to sustain businesses any further without any support. The Central Government needs to address this situation before it gets any worse.