Unfair fares: Public transport rates go up

Transporters had increased fares by Rs100 a few months ago. PTA had allowed the increase of fares up to Rs600.

KARACHI:

Intercity and inter-province bus services have increased their prices as people prepare to travel out of town for Eid.

Transporters refuted claims that they have increased fares. On April 1, the Provincial Transport Authority (PTA) allowed transporters to increase their fares by Rs600 per destination. Fares have generally gone up Rs300 per destination since July 2010. The transporters also charge Rs10 per kilogramme of luggage over 20kg, which each passenger is allowed.

Because of diesel price increases, transporters had increased fares by Rs100 a few months ago. They now are Rs1,800 for Karachi to Mansehra and Rs1,900 for Karachi to Batgram. On the other hand, the PTA fares are Rs2,400 for Karachi to Mansehra, Rs2,600 for Karachi to Battagram, Rs2,600 for Karachi to Darbandar. Muhammad Pervez, the owner of Sagheer Enterprises, told The Express Tribune that the Motorway police keep imposing penalties. A driver said that there are 53 check posts from Karachi to Tarindah Muhammad Panah (near Bahawalpur) and each coach is fined several times. The fine is Rs500 and comes to Rs8,000 for an up-down circle of the trip. Add the toll tax, which comes to Rs3,000 and the costs go up.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2011.