Report of fee raise plan leads to cries of strike

Bus and wagon stand fees proposed to be increased.

FAISALABAD:

Transporters in Faisalabad district have expressed their reservations about reports of government plan to raise bus and wagon stand fees.

Talking to The Express Tribune on Tuesday, Haider Ali, the regional general secretary of the Transporters’ Association, said if the government went ahead with the proposal, the transports would call a strike. Calling it “an attack on their businesses”, Ali demanded that the decision be withdrawn.An RTA spokesman told The Express Tribune that under the revised fee structure, C-class stands (over at least eight kanals) would be charged Rs50,000 instead of Rs30,000.

The stands on at least six kanals would have to pay Rs30,000 (previously paid Rs20,000). The annual renewal fees for all C-class stands would be Rs25,000 instead of Rs13,000.

The fees for D-class stands on at least four kanals would be Rs100,000 instead of Rs50,000. Those on at least two kanals would pay Rs30,000 instead of Rs15,000. Their annual renewal fee would be raised from Rs6,000 to Rs15,000.

The spokesman said that a summary in this regard had been prepared by the RTA secretary. It would be submitted to the Finance Department in a few days. The new schedule of fees, he said, would be enforced after approval by the chief minister.

Muhammad Akram, manager of Khwaja Service transport company, said that the transporters were already under pressure due to the raises in fuel prices.

He said if the decision was implemented, the transporters would have to raise the fare they charged.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 24^th, 2013.