Guwahati: The ferry ticket price from Fancy Bazar to river island Umananda located in the middle of Brahmaputra river in Guwahati has increased five times, drawing strong criticism from the Assam Jatiyatabadi Yuva-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP).
Along with the steep hike in ferry fares, vehicle owners are now being charged between Rs 50 and Rs 500 per hour for parking at the Gateway of Guwahati ferry terminal.
According to AJYCP, two-wheelers are being charged Rs 50 per hour, four-wheelers Rs 200 per hour, and commercial vehicles Rs 500 per hour for parking at the terminal.
Earlier, passengers had to pay Rs 20 to travel to Umananda by ferry. Now, the ticket price has been increased to Rs 100.
On Wednesday afternoon, a team of AJYCP leaders led by Sukumar Barman visited the Gateway of Guwahati terminal and sought answers from the concerned authorities over the sharp increase in parking fees and ferry ticket prices.
Speaking to the media, AJYCP leader Sukumar Barman said that ferries operate from the Gateway of Guwahati terminal to Umananda and North Guwahati. However, he alleged that excessive charges are being collected in the name of parking.
Barman said that although the ferry terminal has been built in an attractive manner, it is not acceptable to burden common people with high parking fees and ferry ticket prices.
The organisation demanded that the authorities immediately reduce the parking charges and ferry fares. AJYCP also warned the BJP-led state government to stop what it called a policy of “giving with a spoon and taking away with a shovel” from the common people.