Price List: Commuters say new fares beyond reach

PESHAWAR: Commuters have protested the increase in fare for local and inter-district private transport, saying that the new prices are beyond their purchasing power. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Transport Authority (PTA) issued the new fare list after the increase in the prices of petroleum products. Local commuters in the city complained that authorities had also failed to stop transporters from overcharging. The fare for buses going from Hashtnagri Chowk to Bakhshi Pul has increased by Rs3. Similarly, other drivers have increased fares from Rs5 to Rs7 for those travelling from Gulbhar to Lahori Gate. Earlier, the minister for transport asked passengers to register their complaints about overcharging. However, Obaidur Rehman, who routinely travels to Mardan from Peshawar, claimed that the fares are at an all-time high.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 26^th, 2012.