KARACHI, May 24: Amid blazing temperatures in Karachi where shortfall in electricity and water had already made lives of people miserable, yet another tormenter is multiplying their miseries in shape of the increased public transport fares. Many local commuters are seen losing their temper due to rising mercury, as well as, fares, and heated debates between bus conductors and passengers seem to become an integral part of the daily life of Karachiites.
Ironically, the victim of inner and outer heat is not the ‘elite’ class, but it is the poor and lower middle class that is already devoid of enough resources to buy a personal generator to cope with power outage, or a water tanker in absence of water supply, and a few extra rupees to pay the hiked fare without losing their temper.
If one could like to find how the rising mercury and increased bus fares affect the mood of people, he could face with the astonishing results. For example, it is not only the commuters who suffer the most, but also the poor conductors are often the victims of a hearty thrash by angry passengers for demanding hiked fare. These conductors have to demand increased fare to meet their masters’ demand, who wanted to enjoy the windfall after getting nod from of the Sindh Transport Department regarding fare rise.
A typical scene was witnessed on Tuesday morning on a 4-M route bus, taking passengers towards Tower that picked up some college students from NIPA Chowrangi. When the conductor demanded travelling charges, one of the six students claimed he was missing his college card but yet he insisted to travel on the concessional fare. The conductor losing his temper started threatening the young man, undermining the severe consequences of what was about to happen.
The six students, despite being wrong, started beating the conductor and when the driver came to his rescue, he too was subjected to hard punches and kicks. After interference from some elders, the students stopped and got off the bus, probably because they had reached their destination - free of cost.
The situation calmed near the Jail Chowrangi, offering a lesson to conductors that ‘always mess with an individual’. The conductor and driver, seemed to have learned their lesson well, for they mishandled and over charged over 13 individual commuters till this reporter reached Urdu Bazzar, Saddar.
The bus fares were increased when the SSC students and now HSC students are having examinations. A second year student of Gulshan College, Mohammad Usman told PPI that he was going to National College for his board examination last Monday in a minibus. “I gave him (conductor) Rs 10 and I asked for remaining - from Gulshan-i-Iqbal Block 11 to Jail Chowrangi - he told me to wait as he had no change.
When I reached my destination I asked him again but he refused if I had any due amount on him. I lost my temper”.
Usman, however regrets, his fight cost him his paper as he reached the centre late. As there seem to be no concrete efforts from the government or private side for anger-management, little but fruitful measures could be adopted like reduction in smoke emitting vehicles and increase in water intake, according to psychologists.
In the long run, the government could improve the overall economical situation and avoid frequent price hikes, electricity breakdowns and water shortages. But for now, as doctors’ advice, increase in water intake and use of masks (for protection against emitting gases) seem to be the best option for controlling one’s temper. — PPI
