Pvt bus operators call for transport policy

Kottayam, Mar 5 (UNI) The Kerala State Private Bus Operators Federation today demanded that the state government must come out with a 'Transport Policy,' demarcating routes for private and state-owned buses.

Addressing a news conference, Federation President A K Abdulla and General Secretary Lawrence Babu appealed to the government to take steps to 'save' the Private Transport Industry.

Stating that the policies of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the government were detrimental to the interests of private bus operators, they said the government should specify routes for the state-owned and private buses.

Calling for introducing a transport policy, they said while the private buses were not allowed to ply on the nationalised routes, the KSRTC was operating services in the areas allotted to private buses.

They appealed to the government to revise the students' concession rate and cut down Sales Tax on diesel from 24 per cent to 17 per cent.

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