Transport fare hikes irk commuters

They are in a tough spot as RTA appears powerless to regulate rates

RAWALPINDI:

Rawalpindi residents are facing the brunt of recent transportation fare hikes that have impacted both local and inter-city routes.

The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) seems to be powerless in regulating the rising fares, leaving commuters in a tough spot. With costs skyrocketing, many individuals are turning to bicycles once again to navigate the city.

Fares for various routes have seen significant increases as the Wagon No 5 route, running from Raja Bazar to various destinations, now charges Rs40 for a single stop. The fare from Raja Bazar to District Kacheri has jumped to Rs50, while the journey to Morgah now costs Rs70. Similar increases can be seen across the board, with new fares reaching Rs60 for Raja Bazaar to Pirwadhai (previously Rs30), and Rs120 for Sahala to Raja Bazaar (previously Rs60), among others.

Chingchi rickshaws, wagons, coasters, and motorcycles have all followed suit with fare hikes. Even the popular Bykeas service has increased its rates, with journeys from Sadar to Committee Chowk now priced at Rs200, while the trip to Islamabad costs a staggering Rs450.

Rickshaw Taxi Drivers Union and the Transport Federation Vice President Asif Khan highlighted the underlying reasons for these hikes.

He pointed out a sharp rise of 300–500% in the costs of gasoline, diesel, cylinder gas, tires, and replacement parts over the past 16 months. These cost increases have translated into higher fares, and it's expected that more hikes might be on the horizon.

Commuters like Ahmed Ali are feeling the pinch. He noted that fuel price reductions don't translate to fare reductions, and as the price of gasoline continues to rise, so do the fares. Ashiq Hussain, another commuter, raised concerns about the financial burden on families.

With fares reaching as high as Rs5,000 for a single trip, he urged the government to reintroduce a public bus service similar to the one previously available.

In the midst of private transport companies taking advantage of the situation by overcharging and overloading passengers, the citizens urge the authorities to address this issue promptly.

Even when fuel prices kept dipping in the last couple of months, transport fairs stood tall, mocking already-burdened citizens. Despite the reduction, the RTA officials failed to lower public transport fares.

As a result, public transport operators kept charging inflated fares with impunity.

Commuters traveling between Rawalpindi and Islamabad had lodged strong protests against what they said the inefficiency of the quarters concerned.

Between May 15 and June 1, the government decreased the price of petrol by a total of Rs20 per litre, bringing it down from Rs282 to Rs262 per litre.

Citizens said the recent hike in the prices of petroleum products has provided a pretext for transport operators to fleece commuters.

They also fear that the caretaker government may also take some ‘tough decisions’ to appease international lending bodies which would prove as a harbinger of a fresh inflation wave.

It’s unknown what the future holds for the inflation-stricken public, but even if things remained same, their survival is at stake, they added.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2023.