Eid exodus: Passengers accuse transporters of overcharging
City govt impounds five coaches at Lorry Adda for fleecing citizens.
Travellers arrive at the railway station. PHOTO: EXPRESS
LAHORE:
Several bus terminals and the City railway station were crowded on Saturday as people from other cities started leaving for their hometowns to celebrate Eid with their loved ones.
The city government says it has launched a crackdown on transporters fleecing citizens but a number of passengers The Express Tribune spoke to complained of overcharging.
At Lorry Adda, some passengers pointed to the low number of buses at the terminal. They accused transporters of cashing in on the situation. Some of them said it was hard to obtain tickets due to the rush at the counters.
“Usually transporters charge different fares for the same destination, depending on the quality of bus service (air-conditioned and non air-conditioned). But during holidays Eid, they charge the luxury coach fare for all buses,” Adil, one of the passengers, said.
“I have taken leave from work so that I can break fast in my hometown. I know that transporters are fleecing passengers but I have no other choice,” said Bashir, who was waiting for a bus at a terminal on Bund Road to go to Multan. He said he had not come across any government official monitoring fares.
The terminal manager for a private transport company said the company had rented additional buses for Eid from tour operators. He said most of the buses had been booked for three days.
City government officials, meanwhile, raided several bus terminals at Lorry Adda to monitor fares. The Lorry Adda administration impounded five coaches for overcharging passengers. District Coordination Officer Muhammad Usman had imposed Rs10,000 fine on some transport operators.
District and town administrations had constituted eight teams with the collaboration of the Regional Transport Authority to check fares.
Crackdown
The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) and City Traffic Police have launched a crackdown on transporters overcharging citizens and overloading public vehicles with passengers during around Eid holidays.
CTO Tayyab Hafeez Cheema has tasked 63 traffic wardens with managing traffic at bus terminals. Of these, 15 wardens have been deployed at Lorry Adda, 12 at the Shahdara sector, 12 at the Lower Mall sector, 12 at the Nawankot sector and 12 at the Thokar Niaz Beg sector.
Four wardens have been assigned with the Regional Transport Authority secretary to check overcharging.
NHMP DIG Mirza Faran Baig made a surprise visit to check overcharging by transporters on the national highway near Thoker Niaz Beg. He directed patrolling officers to take action against transporters violating rules in this regard.
The DIG said transporters would be asked to repay the passengers who had been overcharged. He directed patrolling officers to hold meetings with transporters and warned them against overcharging and overloading.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd, 2016.
Several bus terminals and the City railway station were crowded on Saturday as people from other cities started leaving for their hometowns to celebrate Eid with their loved ones.
The city government says it has launched a crackdown on transporters fleecing citizens but a number of passengers The Express Tribune spoke to complained of overcharging.
At Lorry Adda, some passengers pointed to the low number of buses at the terminal. They accused transporters of cashing in on the situation. Some of them said it was hard to obtain tickets due to the rush at the counters.
“Usually transporters charge different fares for the same destination, depending on the quality of bus service (air-conditioned and non air-conditioned). But during holidays Eid, they charge the luxury coach fare for all buses,” Adil, one of the passengers, said.
“I have taken leave from work so that I can break fast in my hometown. I know that transporters are fleecing passengers but I have no other choice,” said Bashir, who was waiting for a bus at a terminal on Bund Road to go to Multan. He said he had not come across any government official monitoring fares.
The terminal manager for a private transport company said the company had rented additional buses for Eid from tour operators. He said most of the buses had been booked for three days.
City government officials, meanwhile, raided several bus terminals at Lorry Adda to monitor fares. The Lorry Adda administration impounded five coaches for overcharging passengers. District Coordination Officer Muhammad Usman had imposed Rs10,000 fine on some transport operators.
District and town administrations had constituted eight teams with the collaboration of the Regional Transport Authority to check fares.
Crackdown
The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) and City Traffic Police have launched a crackdown on transporters overcharging citizens and overloading public vehicles with passengers during around Eid holidays.
CTO Tayyab Hafeez Cheema has tasked 63 traffic wardens with managing traffic at bus terminals. Of these, 15 wardens have been deployed at Lorry Adda, 12 at the Shahdara sector, 12 at the Lower Mall sector, 12 at the Nawankot sector and 12 at the Thokar Niaz Beg sector.
Four wardens have been assigned with the Regional Transport Authority secretary to check overcharging.
NHMP DIG Mirza Faran Baig made a surprise visit to check overcharging by transporters on the national highway near Thoker Niaz Beg. He directed patrolling officers to take action against transporters violating rules in this regard.
The DIG said transporters would be asked to repay the passengers who had been overcharged. He directed patrolling officers to hold meetings with transporters and warned them against overcharging and overloading.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 3rd, 2016.