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Naina Mishra
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 16
School bus fare has been hiked by Rs 1,200 per child per annum from April, despite a hike in September last. The Chandigarh School Bus Operators’ Welfare Association had suggested a hike of Rs 100 per child per month.
Citing a surge in fuel prices, the association had raised the fare by Rs 600 per child annually in September last. Manjit Singh, president of the association, said, “We had proposed a hike of Rs 125 per child per month in over 60 schools in the city. The schools agreed for a hike of Rs 100. We had to hike the fare as there have been fluctuations in the diesel prices over a long time.
Those who had increased the fare by Rs 50 a couple of months ago will increase the fee by Rs 50 only.”
In the proposal for the hike, the association wrote: “In the 2017-18 session, there was an increase in the insurance cost of a 42-seater bus from Rs 46,000 to Rs 57,0000 (24 per cent) and the per litre cost of diesel rose from Rs 56 to Rs 62 (11 per cent). In 2018, the cost of diesel jumped to Rs 72 between April and October and from November to February 2019, it dropped to Rs 63.”
“The sharp variation in the diesel price has put an additional burden on the operators. Besides, an increase in the cost of lubricants, labour and maintenance of the vehicle has further increased the cost of running the vehicle by 10 to 15 per cent,” the association said.
The current bus fare in the city after the hike varies between Rs 1,300 and Rs 1,500 per child per month, depending upon the distance. However, buses ferrying children from Panchkula to Chandigarh charge over Rs 2,000 per month.
The bus fare is hiked by over 8 per cent in every academic session. In April last year, the bus fare was increased by Rs 100 per month.
Rs 1,200 more per annum for Each child
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