Transporters increase bus fares yet again without official notification

Cite raised diesel, CNG prices, passengers face difficulties in everyday commute

KARACHI: The transport mafia in Karachi has raised bus fares by 50 per cent to 100 per cent for the second time since July 2018 despite there being no notification by the government in this regard.

Following the hike in the prices of high-speed diesel and CNG, operators of Shama Coach, F-11, Daata Coach, W-11, 17-J, S-2, W-21 and several other buses and coaches, are now charging an extra Rs10 to Rs20 per commuter.

According to the new fare structure, the maximum fare for every passenger in coaches is Rs50 as opposed to the earlier fare of Rs30. Similarly, minibuses are now charging Rs45 as their maximum fare which was Rs30 earlier. Besides, the minimum stop-to-stop fare is now set at Rs25 as compared to the earlier Rs15. When passengers, who include children and the elderly, ask bus conductors to show the government notification for the increased fare list or refuse to pay the extra amount, they are told to leave the bus.

Benefiting from the absence of the state's writ, most conductors of minibuses and coaches fleece passengers by waving fake fare lists before them.

Passengers claim that the government has failed to protect them and has left them at the mercy of the transport mafia which holds the metropolis hostage despite the supposed presence of transport departments, authorities.

"Since this mode of travel is used by low-income sections of society and in light of the poor state of public transport on urban and intercity routes, the government should not allow any increase in bus fares," said one female commuter who is a resident of Federal B Area and a frequent passenger of the Shama Coach from Sakhi Hassan to FTC bus stop. She added that transporters must be forced to increase the number of vehicles on the roads and improve the condition of their buses.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2019.