Main opposition party, the DMK, has set up a committee headed by former union minister TR Baalu to suggest ways and means to improve the efficiency of the state-run transport corporations that are running under huge losses.

The committee will have five members, according to a party statement. It said that the committee was set up by DMK working president MK Stalin, after the steep hike in bus fares carried out by the government, a move which has angered the masses.

The committee will study the functioning of the state transport corporations in the neighbouring states, hold discussions with experts and submit its report to Stalin, who has launched a full-scale war on the government on this issue.

Tamil Nadu government had on January 20, increased the bus fares, in some categories doubling the fare even, hitting the common man hard. All sections of the society, including students and women were opposing the move and protests were raging across the state.

The DMK has given a call for protests on January27.

Other opposition parties are also holding protests and the PMK has called for a protest on Thursday.

The government has ruled out any roll back of the decision and in fact justified the increase saying that input and operational costs have increased manifold and even after the hike, bus fares in Tamil Nadu were much lower than in neighouring Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.