Despite the meeting between the bus associations and State Transport Minister Subhas Chakraborty at the Writers’ Buildings on Friday, the issue of increasing bus fares following a fuel price hike by the Centre remained unresolved. Chakraborty said it was not possible to increase the fares of buses.

“I have told them that they belong to the organisations, which have links with parties ruling the Centre. So they should get them to reduce the hike instead of asking us,” said Chakraborty.

After the Centre announced a hike in fuel prices, the bus and taxi associations in the city are demanding a hike in their fare charts. Claiming that fares have always been altered according to the fuel prices, the unions demand the state government to increase the fares. While the Bengal Bus Syndicate and Joint Council of Bus Syndicate (JCBS) met Chakraborty this afternoon, the taxi unions are meeting him soon.

“How can the state ask us to approach the Centre and ask them to reduce the fuel price. Every time there is a change in fuel price by the Centre, the state accordingly takes step. If the fare is not increased, buses will go off the roads,” said Tapan Banerjee, joint secretary of JCBS.