With fuel slowly becoming a luxury commodity, much to the ire of the general public, it is now triggering a rethink on the means of transport to be used to avoid burning a hole in one’s pocket.
Despite people being ready to give up cars to save on the rising cost of fuel, they are being left with little alternatives as the fuel price hikes have resulted in an increase in prices of bicycles and motorcycles as well. “I recently bought a car from the bank on instalments but now petrol has become so expensive that I am now considering buying a bicycle or motorcycle,” lamented Muhammad Ijaz, a government employee who resides in Lahore.
However, Ijaz’s decision to give up his car is not an easy one given that local bicycle manufacturing companies have stopped production and he will now have to opt for pricey imported bicycles between the range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 150,000. The alternative is buying a motorcycle but even the prices for those are averaging Rs 109,000 for a 70cc, Rs 144,900 for a 100 cc, and Rs 168,500 for a 125 cc as per an Express Tribune market survey. “The motorcycle dealers on McLeod Road in Lahore are not showing even a little flexibility in price. They keep on repeating that the government has raised taxes,” informed Ijaz. One such buyer at the motorcycle dealerships at McLeod Road, Faheem, who shared Ijaz’s sentiments, said he had parked his car at home and was looking for a motorcycle.
“However, the prices are so high. The common man cannot even afford a motorcycle now,” a despondent Faheem remarked. While Ijaz and Faheem are skeptical about the taxes that dealers talk about, the provincial Excise Department has recently levied taxes to the tune of of Rs 1,000 on 70cc, Rs 1,500 on 100cc and Rs 2,000 on 125cc motorbikes. With motorcycles also out of reach some people turn to the popular Neela Gumbad bicycle market, where if they are lucky they can find bicycles with starting prices of Rs 20,000. Aslam, who was browsing the different shops in the market, informed the Express Tribune that he was fed up with the inflation and had come to buy a China import bicycle.
“The shopkeepers keep quoting Rs 30,000 but that is out of my reach so hopefully I can get a good bargain as it will save me from buying expensive fuel.”However, people do recognize the limits of a bicycle and that is why the switch from a car to motorcycle has seemingly gained popularity despite the high prices. According to the Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association 148,002 motorcycles were sold across the country in May of this year alone. Aslam, on the other hand, is of the view that the switch is forced due to a lack of quality public transport. “Metro and Orange line run on fixed routes. On the routes where public transport is not available, one has to go by rickshaw or taxi, fares for which have also become expensive for us commoners,” he told The Express Tribune.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 25th, 2022.
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