Rejecting the request of the Rawalpindi commissioner to reduce the transport fares on Eidul Fitr, the All Pakistan Public Transport Owners Federation and the Punjab Intercity Bus Owners and Operators Union have raised fares for all routes by 40 to 50 per cent due to the continuing spike in the cost of petrol and US dollar. The increased fares have also been implemented immediately.
Sources said the management of all the 56 transport hubs in the Rawalpindi district has also endorsed the fare hike.
According to sources, the vehicles of the government general bus stand have also increased the fares. From Sunday, April 16, the citizens will start leaving for their hometowns to celebrate Eidul Fitr with their loved ones and the exodus will be at its peak till Thursday, April 20.
The rush in public transport vehicles has also increased as soon as the onset of the last 10 days of Ramazan. There is a heavy passenger flow from Rawalpindi to Peshawar, Lahore, Azad Kashmir, Faisalabad, and Sialkot routes.
Wagon, coaster, bus and luxury vehicles have fixed their separate fares for all long routes. This time, a fare equivalent to one ride has also been charged for passenger luggage.
Due to the Eid holidays, wagons from nearby and local routes have been diverted to the long coaster route. As a result of the decrease in nearby and local route vehicles, those routes' fares have also increased significantly.
The central vice president of the transport federation, Asif Khan, said that the rates of petrol and diesel have reached almost Rs300.
“The price of car spare parts and tires has increased by 500 to 1000 per cent. Eidul Fitr is a big season. If the fare is reduced even on Eid, how would the transporters earn their livelihood?” he said.
“Bus owners, base managers, ticket booking clerks, helpers, drivers, conductors and loaders work in the transport field. They must also consume food and tea while travelling journey. Their privileges cannot be increased if not reduced,” he added.
The sources said while the wagon fares are less, they are overloaded with 15 to 16 passengers being forced into the vehicles.
For long travels across the inner city and suburbs during the Eid season, all transportation hubs have begun to hire wagons and coasters, the sources added.
Plan devised to protect travellers
On the other hand, the district administration along with the Regional Transport Authority and Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation has chalked out a plan to protect the citizens travelling to their hometowns by public transport on Eidul Fitr from excessive fares, overloading and other problems.
According to sources, Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatta will supervise the plan. The citizens will be able to file complaints against the transporters through WhatsApp location and photo in case of any complaint.
The officer-in-charge of the district administration told The Express Tribune that like every year on the auspicious occasion of Eid, millions of non-natives would leave Rawalpindi for their hometowns.
Given the extraordinary return of the citizens on Eid, the transporters not only arbitrarily increase the fares of buses, wagons, and luxury vehicles but in the temptation of earning more, they also overload and use inefficient vehicles, which leads to accidents.
The officer said that this year the district administration has created a comprehensive plan to solve all such problems, for the implementation of which the district administration, RTA and RMC will increase cooperation.
“Special squads will be deployed for strict checking at Pirwadhai General Bus Stand, Humrahi Bus Terminal Swan, Pirwadhai Mor, Motorway Chowk and special booking points,” he said.
Banners for awareness will be displayed at all bus stands, terminals and stops containing the WhatsApp numbers and other details of the officers concerned for lodging any complaints against the transporters.
A regional transport checkpoint will be set up at the Pirwadhai Bus Stand, where City Traffic Police and transport authority officials will conduct joint operations.
The officer said that the use of standard buses will be strictly implemented to reduce accidents on Eid.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2023.
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