Eid travel rush causes transport chaos

Vehicle shortages leave passengers stranded for hours; overcharging alleged

RAWALPINDI:

As the Eidul Azha holidays began on Tuesday, a steady influx of commuters from the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad continued returning to their native towns to celebrate Eid with their loved ones.

On the final day before Eid, an extraordinary rush of passengers was witnessed at transport terminals and wagon stands, while a shortage of vehicles, overloading, and excessive fares caused severe hardship for travellers.

Although a large number of commuters had already departed for their hometowns ahead of Eid, heavy crowds still persisted on the last day at various transport hubs in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, including the Pirwadhai Bus Terminal. Large numbers of people continued flocking to transport stations in a bid to spend Eid with their families.

Due to an acute shortage of passenger vehicles, citizens and families were forced to endure lengthy waits at terminals. Several routes, including those serving Multan, Mianwali, Layyah and Kot Addu, were reportedly facing transport shortages, while complaints also emerged of transporters charging fares well above the prescribed rates.

A labourer identified as Kareem said: "We have been waiting for several hours. There are very few vehicles available and fares are being charged at nearly double the normal rate."

Another passenger, Afzal, commented: "There are ten of us. We have been at the Pirwadhai terminal since 4am and need to travel to Kot Addu, but no vehicle is available. We are now being told that a bus may arrive by 3pm, so we are still waiting."

Passengers further alleged that some transport operators were resorting to overloading vehicles. "We arrived here early in the morning and even purchased expensive tickets, yet no vehicles are available. We are being told buses may arrive between 3pm and 4pm," they said, adding that the prevailing situation was not only compounding difficulties for travellers but was also raising the risk of accidents due to overloading.

Transporters, however, maintained that vehicles were being dispatched towards their destinations as soon as they arrived, though they acknowledged that a shortage of transport remained a serious issue

Meanwhile, following multiple complaints, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA), along with the Motorway Police and City Traffic Police Rawalpindi, continued their crackdown against transporters involved in overcharging and overloading. According to officials, challans were being issued against violators, while excess fares collected from passengers were also being refunded.

Motorway Police spokesperson Saqib Waheed said that the Motorway Police had returned more than Rs2.6 million in excess fares to passengers. He further revealed that over 9,000 challans had been issued on charges relating to overloading, overcharging, and incomplete travel documentation.

Separately, CTP spokesperson Kashif Shoroosh said that challan tickets had been issued to 177 vehicles for charging fares above the approved rates.

Meanwhile, RTA Secretary Asad Abbas said that the RTA Rawalpindi had issued challans to 68 vehicles and ensured that 133 passengers were refunded the excess fares charged from them.