Curb your mobility: Permit-less vehicles continue to choke the city

Transporters allege govt officials take bribes and allow public transport vehicles to run illegally.

PESHAWAR:

Of the 1.2 million vehicles that ply the city’s roads every day, most operate without official documents as the relevant authorities are least concerned about trying to control their illegal movement.

According to official documents, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) has issued 40,155 permits, including 1,146 for buses, 526 for mini buses, 4,070 for coaches, 650 for ford-wagons, 9,523 for oil tankers and trunks, 4,432 for Suzuki vans, 3,065 for cabs, 8,243 for two-stroke and 8,500 for four-stroke rickshaws in Peshawar.



RTA Secretary Nasim Khan told The Express Tribune that 290 public transport vehicles operate from the general bus stand on GT Road, 495 on the Kohat and Jamrud roads, 280 vehicles drive from Peshawar to Mulagori, Warsak, Sufaid Sang and Larama, 26 for Nasir Bagh, and 220 travel to Bara on a daily basis.

“Peshawar Bus Terminal comes under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Transport Department while Kohat Bus Stand, Charsadda Bus Stand and Karkhano Terminal, come under the municipal administration of Peshawar,” he added.

He said there was one B-class and six C-class bus stands in the city, along with 14 parking lots.

The official further said around 61 public goods transport agencies, along with other private agencies, are also operating in the city.

The government recently allocated Rs166 million for the improvement of traffic and transport system in the city but it is yet to translate on the ground.



An official of the transport department said on the condition of anonymity that around 20,000 cars, 55,000 rickshaws, 300 vans and 400 flying coaches were running in the city without official permits while the administration has no plans of taking action against the massive violation.

He said there were more than 20 illegal parking lots on Charsadda Road, Ring Road and Khyber Road, adding some passenger vehicles are also illegally operating from Shuba Chowk and Bacha Khan Chowk to Torkham.

Most traffic cops let violators go free after taking bribes as they are not worried about ensuring a smooth flow of traffic in the city, he added.

Traffic police DSP Asghar Marwat said the force has recently initiated a crackdown against illegal parking and bus stands in the city, adding they had also dismantled illegal parking lots from various areas.

Marwat said they fine drivers Rs600 for driving without a licence and Rs5,000 to Rs10,000 if their vehicle lacks a permit, adding several vehicles have been impounded by them.

Zulfiqar, a transporter, said the law-abiding citizens who submit tax returns under various titles such as permit tax, fitness tax, excise tax, income tax, general sales tax and taxi tax are discouraged when corrupt officials of the transport department and police allow permit-less vehicles to operate in the city. He said despite paying all the necessary taxes, transporters are not provided essential facilities for themselves and passengers at the various bus stands.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 20^th, 2014.