Kerala: Private bus operators to go on strike

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With diesel prices hiked by Rs.3 a litre, private bus operators in Kerala Saturday demanded a rise in bus fares and called for a token strike Wednesday.The Private Bus Operators Coordination Committee has said the bus owners have no option but to demand an immediate hike in fares and Wednesday's strike would be a token one."If the government fails to act, then we will have no other option but to go on an indefinite strike," the office-bearers of the committee told the media.The last time bus fares were hiked was on April 3 last year when the minimum charge went up by 50 paise to Rs.4.There are more than 30,000 private buses operating in the state, while the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation has just 5,115 buses.