Srinagar, Mar 14: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday criticised the Omar Abdullah-led government over the recent 18 per cent hike in transport fares, alleging that the decision will place an additional financial burden on poor and middle-class commuters.
Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, BJP spokesperson Manzoor Bhat said the fare hike would directly impact common people who rely on public transport for their daily travel.
“Mostly poor and middle-class people use buses and other public transport services. Increasing fares by 18 per cent will create serious difficulties for them,” he said.
Bhat also criticised the condition of the Parimpora bus terminal, claiming that the facility remains in a deteriorating state despite being shifted from Batamaloo several years ago. He said the earlier proposal during the PDP government to convert the Batamaloo area into a mini-secretariat had led to the relocation of transport services to Parimpora.
“Today, the Parimpora bus terminal is in poor condition, while the land at Batamaloo that was proposed for the mini-secretariat remains largely unused,” he alleged.
The BJP leader said the shift of the bus stand had also affected the livelihoods of several small traders, street vendors and people associated with transport services who earlier operated around the Batamaloo bus terminal.
He said Kashmir is an internationally known tourist destination and the poor condition of major transport facilities sends a negative message to visitors.
Referring to the government’s policy of free bus travel for women, Bhat said that while the initiative appears beneficial on the surface, the financial burden is indirectly being passed on to other passengers.
“In many cases, male passengers and family members are forced to pay higher fares. What kind of policy is this where the government claims to provide free services on one side and recovers the cost by charging others more?” he said.
Bhat accused the Omar Abdullah government of failing to frame an effective transport policy and alleged that while the government has increased fares for the public, it has simultaneously enhanced salaries and benefits for ministers and MLAs.
He said such decisions place an unnecessary burden on ordinary citizens who are already facing economic challenges.
The BJP spokesperson also claimed that the present government has failed to deliver on several fronts during its tenure so far.
He, however, praised the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what he described as sustained efforts towards the development of Jammu and Kashmir over the past decade.
Bhat also appreciated Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for the completion of a Rs 171 crore project aimed at repairing road black spots in the region and thanked him on behalf of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
