Transport fares go up in twin cities

Increase in charges inevitable after surge in petrol prices, says official

ISLAMABAD:

Barely a day after another increase in petroleum prices, the public transporters of the twin cities have increased their fares by Rs10 to Rs50.

The new fares of passenger buses, wagons, rickshaws and taxis are causing severe problems for commuters belonging to low-income groups.

Muhammad Younis, a passenger travelling from GPO Chowk to Golra Morr by public transport, told The Express Tribune that the transporters have increased Rs10 per bus stop without any accountability. “It is the responsibility of the government to regulate fares, but the government does not appear to be functioning in the twin cities,” he added.

Khalida Bibi, a widow who works as a maid to make both ends meet, said that she works in three different houses in Rawalpindi and Islamabad and uses public transport to get from one place to another. The increase of Rs40 per day in fares would throw her entire budget out of balance.

Rawalpindi-Islamabad Suzuki Association President Raja Riaz while talking to The Express Tribune said that petrol and diesel prices have reached record levels. The government should have issued a notification of an increase in fares along with the increase in petroleum products but this did not happen, he added.

He explained that the cost of petrol and diesel, the owner's income, the conductor's wages, and the driver's salary are drawn from the income of the same vehicle. Therefore, the increase in fares was inevitable, he said.

Sajjad Butt, who has been running public transport on Islamabad's Route No. 1 for the past 25 years, said it has become difficult for transporters to meet their expenses. In such a situation, there was no choice but to increase the fares. “If the government reduces the prices of petroleum products, we will reduce the fares the next day,” he claimed.

Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Secretary Muhammad Arshad Ali said that in view of the increase in petroleum products, the department has officially sent a summary of the increase in fares to the Punjab government, which is expected to be approved within a fortnight. “We have formed three teams to deal with the transporters who are charging extra fare. Action is being taken against transporters on the complaints of the passengers.”

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2022.