Fare-hike Drama!

Rise in prices of fuels is a routine phenomenon. Similarly routine affairs are the protests lodged by the political parties demanding refrain from such price hikes. However, their demand is more often than not obeyed more in defiance than in compliance. This time, of course, the hike is pretty high and it would help raise the prices of essential commodities which are already too high. So protest is more intense than on earlier occasions as is evident in row of bandhs called by political parties. But what appears more or less certain is the center is unlikely to budge from its decision an inch as the position of Monmohan Singh govt is now quite stable. So now the transport operators would demand fare-hike and the transport minister as usual initially out right reject their demand. Then will start a tag-of-war between the operators and the minister over the issue. Owners of the pubic transport would threaten to withdraw their vehicles from roads. If notwithstanding the threat the minister sticks to his stand, transport strike might take place. But happily it won’t continue for long. Only after a day or two the strike will end as the minister would agree to raise the fare, may not it be to the extent the operators have demanded. It’s a very common scenario in our state, may be in other states also. In the present context here’s an humble suggestion. Just prepare a ready reckoner indicating rational rate of hike in transport fare with fuel price-rise in consultation with the operators to avoid enacting the same drama on every occasion of fuel price-hike.