Bus operators in Kerala called off their strike on Tuesday, The News Minute reported. The operators withdrew the strike even though the state government refused to accept their demands.
The bus operators have been on a strike since February 16, two days after the government raised the minimum bus fare from Rs 7 to Rs 8. However, the bus operators demanded that it be raised to Rs 10. They also asked student concession be reduced by 25%, and the minimum fare for students be increased from Re 1 to Rs 2.
On Sunday, Kerala bus owners had a meeting with Transport Minister AK Saseendran in Kozhikode. The government has also warned the bus operators that their permits would be cancelled if they continued the strike. But, the operators refused to call off the strike.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held a meeting with the representatives of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation. Though Vijayan refused to accede to their conditions, he said their demands would be considered at a later date, The Indian Express reported.
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