PIL against Malda administration

Statesman News Service

MALDA, June 1: Members of Malda Roadways Daily Passengers’ Welfare Association are planning to file a public interest litigation (PIL) in court against the Malda district administration for its apparent reluctance to review bus fares according to accurate distance parameters.The members of the association took the decision as they allegedly got no response from the administration despite their several reminders to this effect.On 23 May, the association sent another letter to the regional transport officer on this issue, but to no avail.The secretary of the association, Mr D Lahiri, said: “The official distance from Malda to Nalagola was 55 km in 1999, it became 58 km in 2003 and 61 km in 2005. Later, the fare was increased. We cannot understand how the distance of the road could increase automatically.”Mr Lahiri said: “In the midway from Malda to Nalagola, the RTO did not rectify the fare chart despite several requests. The distance between Tajpur to Habibpur is 1.75 km but in the route chart for fare, it was 5 km. The common passengers are paying an extra Rs 1.25 for this departmental mistake.”