With the increase in the prices of petroleum products, the transport terminal owners across the district have increased the fares of all routes by Rs100 to Rs300 on the occasion of Eidul Fitr. Local route fares have also been increased by Rs5 to Rs10.
From Friday [today], residents of other cities will start leaving the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad for their native areas to celebrate Eid with their loved ones. Next Tuesday, April 9, will be the last working day before Eid. Due to Saturday and Sunday being holidays, the departure of residents of other cities will start on Friday.
On the instructions of the district administration, the secretary of the Regional Transport Authority has called an important joint meeting of the owners of all transport terminals and major transporters across the district today, Wednesday, April 3, to prevent overloading and overcharging in Eid transport. Efforts will be made to reduce it while the transporters have refused to reduce the transport fares on the occasion of Eid.
Four special Eid trains of Pakistan Railways will also start from Sunday, April 7. The booking of all four special Eid trains has been completed. The Railway Reservation Office has closed the booking of all train seats two days before Eid due to which the burden of all Eid traffic has fallen on general transport vehicles.
Passengers going to different cities from Rawalpindi have been worried since not a single Eid train is running from Rawalpindi and Islamabad this year. All residents of other cities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been left at the mercy of bus transport, while it has been decided to install one or more additional coaches with each train three days before Eid. Any additional coaches will not have their tickets booked. All these seats will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis at the station.
Preparations for the Eid service have been completed in all 33 transport terminals, including General Bus Stand Pirwadhai, Rawalpindi.
According to Transport Federation Vice President Asif Khan, vehicles will be available from Rawalpindi to Peshawar, Nowshehra, Bannu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Multan, Karachi and all cities of Azad Kashmir. Booking of tickets has also been started for all routes. For the convenience of passengers, the service will be started immediately after sehri and will continue for 24 hours.
He said not only the increase in the petroleum products are the reason for the increase in fares, but in the first place all the vehicles have become expensive by lakhs of rupees, the price of spare parts and tyres has increased by 500% and transport drivers, helpers and labour have also become expensive. Also, vehicle repair costs have increased. While traffic police challan fines have also increased many times. This year, the increase in fares on Eidul Fitr will also be proportional to inflation.
The increased fare table will also be formally issued today, Wednesday, April 3.
The district administration has deployed police at transport terminals from Saturday to Eid day from April 6 to April 10 and issued strict action orders against overloading and overcharging.
The transporters this year have decided to charge the luggage fare separately along with the passenger and an eight-year-old child will also have a ticket.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2024.
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