Students protest steep fare hike in Manipur
Source: The Sangai Express / NNN

Imphal/CCpur, January 30 2021: Students of Imphal College on Saturday protested against "abnormal fare hike" by passenger service vehicles in the State.

The protesting students alleged that the abnormal hike in the fare has caused immense inconveniences to the students in attending college.

The students alleged that taking "undue advantage" of the COVID-19 SOP, private passenger service vehicles are taking fare triple times higher than the normal fare.

"When the schools and colleges were reopened, students were in a situation to stop attending schools and colleges unable to afford the fare", one of the students alleged.

Drawing Government's attention towards the abnormal fare hike, students of Imphal College on Saturday boycotted their classes for the day and staged the protest along Tiddim Road, in front of their college.

The students demanded the authorities concerned of the State should check the private transporters fixing the fare at their own will and relieve the additional burden being borne by commuters including students.

Placards with various slogans against the abnormal fare hike were displayed during the protest.

Police who arrived at the spot while the protest was in progress held talks with the leaders of the protesting students to conclude the protest.

Leaders of the students alleged that students are unable to attend schools and colleges owing to the hiked fare.

They alleged that since the resumption of passenger service after unlocking the COVID-19 induced lockdown, transporters were hiking the fare.

At Churachandpur too, the Kuki Students Organisation today protested the continuing hike in passenger fares on account of the Covid restrictions though there is no proper adherence to SOPs, reports our correspondent.

Public transport fares including bus, winger and auto have increased significantly across the State and districts over the past months.

The problem has been particularly acute in the unregulated transport fares of Churachandpur district where public transport operators have been able to charge whatever they wish since the outbreak of COVID-19, said a statement issued by the student body.

Transport fare of buses and wingers plying on Churachandpur-Imphal-Churachandpur route has increased from Rs 80-100 (pre Covid) to Rs 160-180/200 (post Covid) per head.

Similarly, normal auto fare in the district is now Rs 20.Common people in the lowest income quintiles, who have little or no choice but to accept this fare hike which have severely impacted them, it added.

The Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), Churachandpur while declaring that it views this manifold increase as 'anti-poor', 'exploitative' and 'inflationary', urged the public transport operators mainly bus, winger and auto to roll back the hiked fares and resume their services at the normal pre-Covid rates.

They further warned that it shall not remain as a silent spectator if their demands are not heeded to.

Meanwhile KSO also raised their concern over the prolonged closure of schools while all other lockdown measures and restrictions are being relaxed or lifted.

It therefore urged the Directorate of Education (S) to revoke its January 20 order to stop the process for new admission.

It has accordingly informed all educational institutions in Churachandpur to resume admission processes and new academic sessions as per the school's convenience.

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