SC verdict: Car owners thrilled, commuters less so, as bus fares stay up
In an ironic twist, what was labelled an “Eid gift” from the Supreme Court to the people, though a belated one, the relief as a consequence of the unprecedented cut in gas prices could not trickle down to the people as the authorities responsible for fixing transport fares were already on Eid break when the apex court announced the verdict.
Unfortunately, private transporters, who never miss a beat in raising fares immediately after fuel price hikes are announced, made no efforts to offer a unilateral cut despite unanimously agreeing on what the new rates will be.
Commuters in the twin cities of Islamabad-Rawalpindi and outskirts will have to wait for some time to get the relief in transport fares.
This is because a notification from the Punjab Transport Authority cannot be issued until after the four-day public holiday for Eidul Azha.
The government on Wednesday cut prices of gas by Rs30 on the direction of Supreme Court.
“We expect a huge reduction in fares. We have seen steep rise in fares for wagons and taxicabs multiple times in recent months since weekly adjustment of fuel prices began,” said Hidayat Ali, a university student who uses public transport to commute between his institute and home every day.
As a special arrangement, the government should have notified reduction in transport fares irrespective of the Eid holidays, said Obaid Ahmed, who works at a shop in Blue Area.
We have been waiting for a proper notification from the Rawalpindi Regional Transport Authority (RTA) regarding a cut in fares and expect the cut would be a source of relief for the common man, said Malik Sultan Awan, a representative of the Muttahida Transport Mahaz (United Transporters Front) Rawalpindi-Islamabad chapter.
He said he has no qualms about reducing fares as there was a reasonable cut in the price of gas and a majority of public transporters use it as fuel instead of diesel or petrol.
Presently, the minimum fare from stop to stop is Rs16 and this could be reduced to Rs12 if the prices of gas were maintained in accordance with the direction of the apex court, he said.
Islamabad Transport Welfare Association President Malik Nawab also expects cut in fares, saying, “We have a plan to reduce transport fares by Rs4, but only after the notification is issued by the Punjab government.”
He said that most transporters ply between the twin cities that is why the Punjab government’s notification is the basis for fares in the federal capital.
Islamabad Transport Authority Secretary Khwaja Maqbool was “surprised at why the Punjab government has not issued a notification despite the federal government decision”.
RTA Secretary Asad Kazmi said the office of the Punjab transport secretary which is based in Lahore, fixes the rates and notifies transporters and the public.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 27th, 2012.
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