Passengers remain at mercy of transporters on Eid

Say bus operators are fleecing commuters with sky high prices

LAHORE: There was a massive rush at the Lahore Railway Station and intercity bus terminals as a large number of people left the provincial capital for their hometowns and villages to celebrate Eidul Azha with families and loved ones.

Traffic remained concentrated on all entry and exit points of the city, especially on Multan Road, Band Road and Ravi Bridge as a heavy density of buses, coaches and wagons descended on these transit points.

This factor proved to be of great inconvenience to passengers who were seeking a quick departure from Lahore to reach their homes on time. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Muhammad Rizwan, a private company employee, said he anticipated a rise in ticket prices, but was willing to pay the extra amount to avoid any inconvenience.

Ahead of Eid: Pressure mounts on transportation as people head home before Eid

“Despite having confirmed tickets and reaching the departure point on time, passengers had to face hardships while trying to leave Lahore because of the huge rush and traffic jams,” he maintained.

Another passenger standing at the Thokar Niaz Baig terminal of a private transport company was Muhammad Abbas. The man said he had been waiting to catch a vehicle bound for Bahawalpur, his native town. He complained most buses were full, while operators and conductors were fleecing passengers in exchange for a seat.

He asked authorities to come up with a permanent solution to the problem as locals had to face great hardships and were victims of exploitation during the Eid season.



Ilyas Baig, meanwhile, said transporters were overcharging passengers by 30% to 50% and some had no other choice but to pay extra money to get their hands on a ticket. “We cannot reach home on time if we do not pay the markup. Transporters have formed a cartel against passengers who are in a hurry to reach their homes to celebrate Eid,” he said. Baig also demanded authorities to take stern action against “merciless” transporters.

A similar rush was witnessed at the Lahore Railway Station as a large number of passengers were trying to leave the provincial capital.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2017.