Minister says Govt. is losing Rs. 500,000 a day as a result of low fares

Minister Dulles Alahapperuma told BBC Sandeshaya that bus owners would have no option but to raise the fares as fuel prices continued to rise in the market.

Private bus fares all around the island are to be increased from Tuesday, private bus owners said.

Gemunu Wijeratne, chairman of the Private Bus Owners Association (PBOA) told BBC Sandeshaya that bus fares are to be increased as per the national policy.

Inflation and fuel cost

"We have convened a meeting of all regional officers on Tuesday to take the final decision," he said.

Mr. Alahapperuma added that however the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) would not raise the prices in line with the private buses.

	Private bus owners are to decide the scale of the rise on Tuesday

The government is losing Rs. 500,000 a day as a result of the low prices, the minister said.

The scale of the increase is yet to be decided, Wijeratne said, adding that the industry is facing severe difficulties due to skyrocketing inflation.

"We will have to decide whether to increase in accordance with the national policy or suggest a different scale because of very high inflation," he told BBC Sinhala.com.

The PBOA chairman also accused the regional transport authorities of 'running a mafia'.

Wijeratne who pledged to introduce ticket machines to the private buses 'soon' pledged bus fares will not rise after the introduction.