HPF urges Ampareen Lyngdoh to regulate bus fare

A REPORTER

SHILLONG, July 13: The Hynniewtrep Peoples Federation (HPF) Mawlai Circle on Monday urged the Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh to bring bus fares under control. It has been alleged that the STPS/SSPTS vehicles are overcharging passengers since a long time.

“We have received many complaints from passengers commuting through these buses in Mawlai which are being operated by the government. It has come to notice that when a passenger boards these buses from Mawlai petrol pump to Mawlai Nonglum, which is a distance of only 1.5 km, the conductor most of the time charges Rs. 10 even though the exact rate set by the concern authority is Rs 5,” Kitboklang Lyngdoh, president HPF Mawlai Circle told media person here on Monday.

Lyngdoh said that the conductor usually reason that they don’t have any change to return to the passenger that’s why they have to pay the overrated rates.

He claimed that the people coming from poor and underprivileged families who depend on these government buses to commute from one place to another are the worst sufferers.

He also said that they have suggested in the memorandum submitted to the Urban Affairs Minister that in order for smooth functioning and to solve the inconveniences faced by the general public the concern authority should introduce ‘Slips or Tokens’ in which the details of the remaining amount is reflected.

“We also want that these ‘Slips and Tokens’ should be reusable by passengers commuting in these STPS/ SSPTS vehicles, which in turn will be very helpful and convenient towards the general public,” Lyngdoh said.