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| Sunday, 15 August 2004 |
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Private bus fare hike imminent by Deepal Warnakulasuriya A private bus fare hike is imminent with the recent increase of diesel, price from Friday midnight. While the Lanka Private Bus Owners' Association (LPBOA) demands a fare hike within a week's time, National Transport Commission (NTC) admitted that a hike will come into effect but, they would not bother on demands or deadlines set by bus owners. NTC Chairman Dr. Amal Kumarage said that the recent price hike of fuel will effect a fare hike but, it will be done without bringing more burdens on bus commuters. He assured that the percentages will be drafted by them within a few days taking into consideration all the 12 factors of the private bus service.LPBOA Chairman Gamunu Wijeratne told the Sunday Observer that their expenditure has gone up by over 12.5 per cent and the increase should be between 12.5 to 15 per cent. He also said that a formal request to increase the bus fare will be forwarded to the Transport Ministry, NTC and to the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse tomorrow. He further, reminded both the Ministry and the NTC's promise to approve a fare hike on a possible fuel price hike said that they are anyhow, not ready to accept the 3.6 per cent expenditure increase which was calculated by the NTC last May. "This is August and two months have passed. By now, it has gone over 12.5 per cent and we expect a fare hike on that rate," Wijeratne added. While the LPBOA wants to increase the first segment of Rs. 3.00 to Rs. 4.00, the NTC Chairman said that most probably it will remain unchanged. |
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