DUSHANBE , April 10, Asia -Plus - Beginning on April 10, the Dushanbe passenger transport structures raised the public transport fares.  The fixed-route tax fare will rise from 0.30 Somoni to 0.40 Somonis, the trolleybus fare will rise from 0.10 Somonis to 0.30 Somoni, and the bus fare will rise from 0.20 Somonis to 0.40 Somoni.   

   On Friday April 7, senior representatives from the Dushanbe passenger transport structures hosted a press conference to give details of the decision to raise the public transport fares.

“Funds the Dushanbe passenger transport structures have earned so far are enough to cover only 60 percent of their expenses,” Abdullo Abdulov, head of the transportation and communication department of the Dushanbe mayor’s office, told journalists commenting on the decision to raise the fares.  “It is to be noted that over the past two years, an average monthly wage in Dushanbe has increased 2? times – from 86 Somonis to 216 Somonis.”

According to him, the Dushanbe passenger transport structures annually need more than 24 million Somonis for maintaining buses and 3.3 million Somonis for maintaining trolleybuses.   

Besides, 57.3 percent of residents of Dushanbe are privileged persons that also impeded enough collection of funds, according to Abdulov.  

“The other reason for raising the public transport fares is low wages of employees of the Dushanbe transport structures,” said Abdulov, “Thus, drivers receive 66 Somonis a month, repairers receive 47 Somonis and conductors receive 14 Somonis.”