No cut in fares despite POL price cut

Transporters were reluctant to reduce fares for inter-city and intra-city transport routes despite a reduction in the POL prices, forcing the citizens to travel by paying extra fares for the Eidul Azha holidays from Saturday.

Local authorities failed to reduce fares, while transporters made extra bucks during the Eid season.

Overloading and overcharging at all transport hubs in the city were also reported. Citizens destined for outside stations thronged all 44 small and big transport bases across the city and the activity continued till Sunday afternoon. A good number of expatriates already left the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Saturday night, while others departed on Sunday morning.

After the government reduced the petrol price by more than Rs15 in the last 15 days, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) also announced a reduction in the fares but none of the transporters reduced the fares.

However, the transporters continued to charge higher fares instead of reducing the fares, taking benefit of massive customers on the occasion of Eid.

They also charged for a passenger seat for children and luggage. The absence of the officers of the RTA and district administration provided an opportunity for the transporters to charge arbitrary fares. Passengers and transporters exchanged arguments over overloading and overcharging.

RTA Secretary Arshad Ali said that a new fare list with reduced fares up to 10% had been sent to the competent authority for final notification, adding a notification was expected in the next 48 hours. He further said that the transporters during a meeting with the RTA before Eid, agreed to reduce fares.

On the other hand, RTA inspectors issued fines worth Rs250,000 to 34 passenger vehicles on complaints of overloading and overcharging at various transport bases and impounded two vehicles.

Passenger Ahmed Shiraz complained that passengers were charged old and arbitrary fares. Transport Federation vice-president Asif Khan, on the other hand, said that a smaller number of passengers departed for their destinations on this Eid because of rising inflation.

Meanwhile, there was also no reduction in the fares on inner-city routes in the twin cities. Transporters continued charging the old rate of Rs120 from Raja Bazaar to Morgah, Kotha Kalan, Adiala, Chakri, Golra Sharif, Sahala and Koh Noor Mills. Similarly, Bykea motorcycle riders also kept charging up to Rs100 on local routes. Qingqui rickshaw fares also remain unchanged.