July 23, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 19, 1429

RAWALPINDI, July 22: Bus fares are to be increased again for travel within and between Rawalpindi and Islamabad on the demand of public transport operators.

Local transporters have threatened to go on strike if the authorities do not accept their demand for fixing the minimum fare at Rs15 and the maximum at Rs30.

At present the minimum and maximum fares are Rs10 and Rs15 respectively.

President of the local United Transporters Association Khalid Sultan Awan is confident the demand would be met as “the cost of fuel continues to spiral”.

District Regional Transport Authority Secretary Tariq Rahim appeared to agree with Mr Awan when he told Dawn on Tuesday that an increase in fares was “imminent” after the recent 10 per cent increase in the price of fuel.

Ironically majority of the wagons ferrying passengers within and between the twin cities are run on CNG, a fuel which was not hit by the latest hike in petroleum products.

Poor commuters, already hit by the general inflation, look destined to be paying Rs15 for travelling from one stop to the next and Rs30 for the starting point of the bus service to its terminal point.

When the increase comes, it would be the third time that bus fares would be increase in four months.

APP adds: The transporters have started overcharging the commuters of twin cities without any notification by the concerned.

The increase in fares by the transporters has angered the passengers and a number of altercations have been reported in the last couple of days, said Amir Khan a resident of Sadiqabad.

He said the transporters have increased fares without any notification by the transport authorities. Another passenger, Muhammad Atif, a resident of Murree road said that fares of long routes have jumped from Rs15 to Rs25 while the transporters are charging Rs20 instead of Rs10 for short routes.

Taxi drivers have also increased fares manifold, he added.

“There was no other option except to increase fare to survive our business after rise in POL prices,” said a driver Muhammad Iqbal.