Bus fare hike gets official nod

Transporters ready to challenge ban on LPG, CNG in vehicles

RAWALPINDI: The transport authority of the province has ceded to the demand of the transporters to increase the minimum fare from Rs15 to Rs20. The Muttahida Transport Federation (MTF) had threatened to go on a wheel-jam strike if stop-to-stop fares were not increased.

In this regard, MTF President Raja Riaz said that they had completed consultations with transporters’ bodies in all provinces, Islamabad and AJK and all were willing to struggle for fare hike.

He complained that there was no increase in fares for the last six years even after petrol prices raised to Rs.117 from Rs77. He told during this period, the prices of vehicles’ spare parts also skyrocketed.

Riaz expressed that salaries of buses’ staffs including drivers, conductors and helpers had also increased by 50 per cent during the last five years. He said, “ Our business has become a deficit.”

He demanded the government to immediately increase fares or reduce fuel prices by Rs20. He said that if the government did not pay heed on their demand, they would increase fares on their own.

He expressed that they didn’t want any fight with the government and were always ready for dialogues.

Secretary nods in favour

Punja Transport Secretary held a meeting with regional transport secretaries and accepted their demand for an increase in fares.

In this regard, the secretary recommended the government to increase transport fares.

The MTF leaders including Raja Riaz and Qalandar Khan endorsed this to The Express Tribune. They told that they were informed that a summary has been sent to the government in which it had been asked to increase fares on all intercity and inter-district routes. They said that the government should increase fares in accordance with rising in petroleum price and any lollypop in this regard would be totally unacceptable. 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 4^th, 2019.