Public transport may get dearer by Rs1.40 in Punjab,Chandigarh

Public transport in Punjab and Chandigarh can get costlier by up to Rs 1.40 per km, following the hike in diesel rates by Rs 5, sources said on Friday.

Besides, goods transport is also set to pinch the pocket of industry as truck operators have decided to increase the freight rate by 8-9 per cent because of increase in diesel rate by the Centre yesterday.

"The Rs 5 per litre increase in diesel will have substantial impact (on transport operations) and we have worked out Rs 1.30 to 1.35 per, km which is required to be increased in bus fare (to offset the impact)," a senior Punjab Transport Department official told PTI.

The Department would submit the proposal for fare hike to the state government for its approval, he said, adding, "We want that the hike should be made immediately".

The Department has total fleet size of about 3,300 that ply on various routes across the state. Besides, private buses has also extensive network in the state.

Echoing similar views, Chandigarh Transport department has calculated a burden of Rs 1.35 to 1.40 per km owing to diesel rate increase.

"We have worked out an impact of Rs 1.60 lakh per day because of increase in diesel rate," a senior official of Chandigarh Transport department said, adding that the proposal for increase in fare would soon be put up before the concerned authorities.

With a fleet size of 419, buses in the union territory Chandigarh cover about 1.16-1.18 lakh km per day.

Haryana Transport Department has also worked out that its operational cost would go up by between Rs 1 and 1.5 per km, though it has not yet decided to raise the fare.

"There is a hike of over 12 per cent in diesel rate and accordingly we are seeing our operational cost to go up by Rs 1 to 1.50 per km," said a senior official of Haryana Transport department here.

However, he said there was no immediate plan to raise the fare rate. "Right now, we have not decided to increase the fate rate of buses," he said.

Haryana Transport department has a fleet size of 3,700 buses running across the state.

Protesting the "substantial" increase in diesel rate, truck operators have raised the freight rates across the board by 8-9 per cent.

"The freight rate has been jacked up by 8-9 per cent from today itself as diesel rate has been increased by Rs 5 per litre," North India Motor Road Transport Association, President Charan Singh Lohara said.

Citing an example, Lohara said the freight rate between Ludhiana and Mumbai for 15 tonne of truck which is Rs 38,000 will increase by 8-9 per cent.

Though he said the customers who had booked trucks prior to diesel rate hike would not be charged new freight rate.

To lodge the protest against the diesel price hike, truck operators across Punjab burnt the effigies of the UPA government and demanded immediate rollback.PTI CHS RAH tvs YB 09141855 NNNN