Friday, July 18, 2008

Protest Rally for reduction in PMP bus fares

 
Please circulate the mail among all your pune based contacts:

Protest Rally against PMP bus fare rise
From: Dandekar Pool (Majoor Adda) to PMP Office, Swargate
On: Saturday 19th July 2008, at 3 PM

 
PMPML has announced YET another fare hike recently. The minimum fare is  going to be 4rs, while overall the fare hike would be from 1 Rupee to 6 Rupee. This is going to be a heavy burden on the pockets of the low income groups, who are already being crushed under the increasing inflation.

In around 20 cities in the world public transport has been totally free for a long time. With rising fuel prices, the demand for a heavily subsidized public transport is gaining momentum worldwide. Obviously, because that is the right solution. It reduces the oil bill and is a just solution to help the poor meet their mobility demands.

Everyone has equal right to mobility, so it is not only apt for but a duty of the government to subsidize public transport, so that the poorest of the poor can avail it.

PMPML already has fares which are highest in India. Against Minimum of Rs 2 and Maximum of Rs 7 (for distance as much as 45 km!) in Chennai, the fares in Pune were 3 Rs and upto 25 Rs. Now they are going to be increased even further. All cries of PMP running in loss, were anyways foul, because most of their losses were due to corruption and inefficiency rather than lack of passengers. With fares so high, and buses spilling over with commuters, it is a wonder how PMP can be running in loss ! In any case, giving subsidy to the tune of even 100 Crores should not be difficult for PMC and PCMC which flaunt budgets of thousands of crores. It is another sad fact, that most of these thousands of crores are actually being spent in promoting private vehicles by building more over bridges and subways and cement roads !

This is clearly a step towards further destruction of the public transport in this city, and an extension of the anti-people policies that the PMC and PCMC have been following for years. This will only promote further private transport, congest the city more, pollute it more and make it unlivable !

WE HAVE DECIDED TO STOP THIS. WE'll BE PROTESTING DEMANDING NOT ONLY STOPPING THE FARE HIKE, BUT REDUCING EXISTING FARES !

Demands:
Minimum fare 2 Rs, Maximum fare 10 Rs
Monthly pass 350 Rs
70% discount for students
For senior citizens: Monthly pass 150 Rs
 

The rally is being organized under the banner of "Pune Bus Pravasee Sangh" (पुणे बस प्रवासी संघ) by Lokayat, Pune Shahar Molakareen SangaTana, Shramik Mahilaa morcha, and Pune Mahanagarpaalikaa kaamagaar Union (लोकायत, पुणे शहर मोलकरीण संघटना , पुणे मनपा कामगार यूनियन, श्रमिक महिला मोर्चा ).

This is going to be the first among a series of protests that we'll be organizing to protest against the unjust fare hike and to demand improvement in the PMP service. We'll be forming branches of Pune Bus Pravasee Sangh in various Vastees of the city demanding a convenient, available, cheap public transport for all the people !

We appeal you all to turn in large numbers !

In Solidarity,
Abhijit K,
Lokayat, Pune.

अभिजित Abhijit K
Phone: +91 9422308125


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Our website http://www.lokayat.org.in
Our blog http://pune-lokayat.blogspot.com

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