Public transport: A nuisance for commuters

ISLAMABAD:

Travelling by public transport in twin cities has become a nuisance for commuters, especially for women.  

Those who can afford private cabs prefer not to travel by public transport, however, majority of the people in the twin cities use public transport for travelling.

The commuters who use public transport face a number of issues including over-crowded vans, hustling in and out of passengers, long waits by vans for passengers at various stops and the use of foul language by drivers and conductors when they are asked to move the vehicles.

Aalia, a commuter, who travels to her office in Islamabad from Saddar every day, complained that women have to wait for long at bus stops during peak hours because front seats, which are usually reserved for female passengers, remain occupied by male passengers. She demanded that complaint cells should be set up near bus stops so that passengers could lodge their complaints related to transport issues.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2013.