KARACHI, April 19: The Sindh transport department announced a Rupee 1 cut in the transport fares on Saturday after a substantial two-time decrease made in the POL prices by the Oil Companies Advisory Committee during the last about three weeks.
The revised fares were announced after a persistent demand made by the citizens who claimed that the transport department delayed the announcement of fresh fares although such a cut should have been made in the first week of April when the prices of POL products were reduced for the first time by the oil advisory committee.
According to a Sindh transport department notification on Saturday, the revised fares would be effective from April 21.
The Sindh government, in exercise of its powers conferred in Sub-Section-(II) of Section-45 of the Provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965, has refixed the rates, add agencies.
The decision was made in a meeting of the authorities with transporters. The additional secretary, Kaleem Maki, issued the notification.
The students will continue to enjoy a 50 per cent discount in fares on buses only.
The minimum fare of Rs 3 will continue to be charged by the inter-city stage carriage vehicles for any intermediary in between the stop.
In another development, the City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, convened a meeting to discuss the reduction in transport fares as the prices of petroleum had decreased considerably.
During the meeting, the Nazim asked the transporters to voluntarily reduce the fares so that masses could be benefited from the reduction in petroleum prices.
Following the meeting, the National Transport Ittehad, Karachi, announced that it was voluntarily reducing the fares of buses, mini-buses and coaches to the level of Feb 28.
However, the organizations of rickshaws, taxis and yellow cabs of the alliance said it would not reduce the fares until a further reduction in petroleum and gas prices was made.
The alliance leaders demanded of the government to take measures for reducing prices of other commodities of daily use which had increased after an increase in petroleum prices.
Another group of transporters, Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI) said although they had also announced a cut in the fares voluntarily, in case of any fresh increase in diesel price on April 30, fares would again be increased.
The KTI further said in case of decrease in POL prices, the fares would not be reduced until the price of diesel come downs to the level of Rs17.53.
