'Regulate fare'
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 21 2021:
Kanglei Indigenous Martial Arts and Cultural Society (KIMACS) has strongly come out against the hike in fare by passenger service vehicles and demanded that the Transport Minister of the State who remains indifferent to this issue must resign.
In a statement released today, KIMACS stated that the increase in fare on the pretext of hike in fuel prices has made life considerably harder for students and women who eke out a livelihood through selling their wares at the marketplace.
Students and women traders depend on passenger service vehicles daily.
The statement further informed that a 20% increase in fuel price does not warrant a 4-5 times increase in fare.
Students who have to travel 20-25 km to reach their colleges in Imphal have to pay anywhere between Rs 200- 250 and within Greater Imphal a student has to spend Rs 100 on average, the statement elaborated, highlighting the unimaginable fares being charged.
To add to this scenario, e-rickshaws which run on electricity and not on fuel, have started charging the same fare, KIMACS informed.
As per a survey conducted by KIMACS, many vegetable vendors have stopped coming to the marketplaces in Imphal due to their inability to pay the high fares.
Similarly, shopkeepers who previously used passenger service vehicles have now resorted to using their own vehicles leading to congestion not only on the roads but also in parking spaces in market areas, the statement added.
KIMACS expressed disbelief that the State Government has not yet regulated the fares of these passenger service vehicles since 2008 .
The situation is dire and the Government need to intervene and work in the interest of the people, KIMACS stated.
The statement further said that the associations concerned also need to settle on a fixed rate.
KIMACS has appealed to the owners of passenger service vehicles to make immediate changes to their fare.