Dr Bipin Chander
With concurrence of the Government there has been hike in passanger fares of fourteen percent for which the fare list has already been issued. It has added to the burden of general public in Jammu and Kashmir State with no additional relief to the common man. The cost of living has increased due to increase in the passenger fares and freight charges which everyone has to bear at present and in the future course of time.
Through paper I want to draw the kind attention of the concerned authorities that the condition of the buses, matadors, autorickshaws and taxis has not improved in any way because nothing has been done by the owners or drivers or authorities to improve the transport service conditions for the pasangers and commuters after the hike in the fares. For instance, the time that buses and matadors are taking while plying on different routes has not decreased even though there is an improvement in the condition of the National Highway. As an example, the buses from Udhampur to Jammu are taking the same amount of time i.e 2 to 2.30 hours though the distance has been reduced by 15 to 20 Kms. Even with the reduction of distance the passangers have to pay Rs 60/= per passanger when the actual fare is Rs 57/- The time taken by the bus drivers is the same. There is no improvement in seating/standing facilities.
They move from Udhampur bus stand to Rehmbal TCP at snail’s pace waiting and stopping for passangers. There is one bus after the other and even if the number of passangers, unfortunately remains less in the first bus, the second one which starts 20 minutes later than the first one, both cross Mand or Tikri bus stops more or less at the same time. Then there is a race between the two buses for lifting more and more passangers, on the way to Jammu.
The drivers and conductors do not hesitate to overload the buses in order to grab more money and increase the speed of the buses without caring for the safety of the passangers and their valuable time to reach their place of work in time.
The condition of the buses on these routes is in bad shape and there is no check on them because the drivers/conductors pay ‘Haftas’ to their pseudo masters and their guards on duty who are there to check all that should be good for passangers’ and Government exchequer. Justice can only be done to the passangers by the Government if maximum and minimum time limit for different destinations is fixed. Also, minimum requirement of facilities for passangers in the vehicles, plying on different short and long routes, should be declared by the Government alongwith these increased fares. There should be complaint books with every bus, matador and autorickshaw to register the grievances of the passangers. Complaints should be lodged and checked by the mobile magistrates and authorities regularly . Passangers should be encouraged to lodge their complaints without any fear and that too in writing. The nature of complaint must be mentioned on the complaint book available with every driver,conductor of the vehicle and action should be taken by the concerned authorities to improve upon the system. The action taken must be made public to generate general awareness about the accountability of the regulatory system. This would have a deterrent effect on drivers and transporters to keep themselves away from entering into malpractices and thus improve their service towards commuters and passangers.
In addition, our State Government should think of starting a good public oriented transport system. J&K being a Tourist State should have its efficient public transport system with examplary services for the tourists and passangers of the State. It should ply public vehicles on all routes with 10 percent less fare than what is being charged by the private vehicles on competition basis. This would generate more employment facilities for our youth and bring discipline in the State Road Transport System. Pay structure and facilities to the drivers and conductors should be based on their performance and success of the system they would run.
If the passangers are found travelling without proper tickets they should be fined heavily. Checks and counterchecks within the system should be made a regular feature in the Govt Transport Service in the State. It is hoped that Transport Minister would give a serious thouht on the above suggestions so that there is a check on rackless race for buying private cars and other vehicles for routine travelling. Governor of our State should issue directives to the advisory body of the State Govt in this regard so that sorry state of affairs in transport sector is checked once for all. Also, this would pave way to improve facilities for passangers in the times to come.
(The author is former Professor)
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