RAWALPINDI: The transporters overcharged commuters going to their hometown on Friday to celebrate Eidul Fitr as the district administration has turned a blind eye to the people’s miseries.

The situation at the railway station was no different as tickets there were sold in black.

Though official holidays in government offices began on Friday, most of the people left the twin cities on Thursday the last working day. The rest headed for their hometowns on Friday, with most of them opting to travel by train.

Talking to this reporter at Pirwadhai Mor, Tahir Khan, a resident of Peshawar, said he came there to get three seats but he got the shock when he came to know that the transporters were charging Rs1,000 per seat against normal fare of Rs800.

He said absence of a check and control system by the authorities concerned had emboldened the transporters to overcharge.

Shahzad Hassan, a commuter for Sadiqabad, said the transporters had been given a free hand to overcharge the passenger.

“They also demanded Rs100 extra for giving better seat,” he said.

He said that there was no authority to regulate the private transport. Mostly buses run from outside the terminal and neither the police nor the Regional Transport Authority took this matter seriously.

Fawad Khan, a passenger for Mianwali, said that there was a shortage of transport and the existing bus owners demanded Rs400 extra. He said the government should enforce its writ on this sector also. 

However, the transporters blamed the increase in fares on inflation and rising diesel price and toll charges. “The fare was increased last month but people came to know when they travelled to their hometown,” said Mohammad Nawaz, a transporter.

He said the transporters tried their best to provide better service to the people but mostly people were not happy. He said the fare was revised before the Ramazan.

Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Secretary Awais Manzoor Tarrar denied transporters were overcharging and said the RTA had formed four special teams to check vviolation of official fare list. The authority has also displayed a cell number for commuters to lodge any complaint.

“The situation this year is better as compared to last year. No transporter is involved in overcharging at Pirwadhai, Peshawar Road and Soan Bus terminals,” he claimed.

He said the RTA had fined 36 transporters and managed to return extra fares charged by the 21 buses to the passengers,” he said.

He said there was a shortage of transport for inter-city. Transporters are plying extra vehicles on these routes after RTA issued temporary route permit for Eid days.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play