Confusion prevails among omni bus operators across the state on whether to increase the bus fares or not in the wake of recent hike in quarterly tax levied for private stage operators.
While most of the operators have not increased the fares following the tax hike and waiting for the government order, they allege that a few leading operators have increased fares.
They also complain that a few among those operators, who have hiked fares, were part of the omni bus operators association that had issued a circular directing all operators not to hike the fares and wait till further orders.
“We had been asked by the association not to increase the bus fares until further instructions from the association as the office-bearers were planning to appeal for rollback the hike in the quarterly tax.” said an omni bus operator at Koyambedu omni bus terminus.
When this correspondent spoke to a leading operator’s office, they said had increased the bus fares from Rs 50 to Rs 100 depending upon the category.
However, state omni bus owners’ federation president Af-sal said that a few operators effected the hike even before the announcement. The issue will be sorted out soon as we have got the appointment of the minister.