RAWALPINDI: On the last working day before Eidul Fitr, bus terminals and the railway station in the city witnessed a huge rush of passengers heading to their hometowns.

However, the departments concerned failed to address complaints of the travelers regarding overcharging and shortage of vehicles.

A special train will leave for Multan on Tuesday. But the Pakistan Railways (PR) did not operate more special trains from Rawalpindi and Islamabad to Karachi and other destinations.

Passengers faced problems in getting railway tickets for Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Khanewal, Rahimyar Khan and other destinations.

Mohammad Riaz, one of the passengers, alleged: “An official at the railway reservation office in Melody, Islamabad, charged my friend Rs380 for a ticket to Lahore. But I purchased the ticket for the same destination from another counter in the same office for Rs450.”

He said passengers were being charged extra money by the railway employees.

“Some officials booked coaches in advance and later sold the tickets in the black market. The fares of most of the trains originating from Rawalpindi and Islamabad remained higher,” said Shahzad Ahmed, a Lahore-bound passenger.

He said he purchased a ticket after paying an extra amount of Rs100.

When contacted, railway divisional superintendent Abdul Malick said they operated three special trains - from Rawalpindi to Multan, Malikwal to Karachi and Rawalpindi to Quetta.

“The four trains departed for Lahore from Rawalpindi and Islamabad and we attached an additional coach with each train to cater to the rush of passengers.”

About the allegation of overcharging at the railway reservation office in Islamabad, the official said the Pakistan Advisory and Consultancy Services of the railways was responsible for addressing the complaints.

He said the Pakistan railways did not increase fares during the Eid days. He said it was not possible to sell tickets in the black at a railway station.

Bus terminals

There was the usual complaint of overcharging but the provincial government did not bother to take action against the transporters.

“The transporters are taking Rs200 to Rs300 extra on each ticket but nobody is there to check it. The officials of the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) did not visit the bus stations even though they knew that the passengers were being overcharged,” said Aslam Malik, who was going to Mianwali from Pirwadhai.

He said the transporters were also involved in overloading and crammed about 60 passengers into each bus having the seating capacity of 45.

Murtaza Akhter, who was going to Jhang, said the transporters created an artificial shortage of buses to increase the fares. However, RTA Secretary Khalid Yamin Satti said special squads had been deployed at Pirwadhai, Priwadhai Mor and Soan bus terminals to check overcharging. “I personally visited the Pirwadhai bus stand and issued tickets to 12 vehicles and impounded one of the buses for overcharging.”

As complaints against overcharging on the inter-city routes increased, the Islamabad administration launched a campaign against transporters.

Shazia Qazi, the secretary Transport Authority, Islamabad, constituted four special squads to check the fares. Moreover, a special complaint cell has also been set up to entertain any complaint regarding excess charges by the transporters.

According to a statement issued by the motorway police, 12 anti-overcharging squads and four special control rooms have been established to help the passengers on Eid.

DIG motorway police north zone Ashraf Zubair Siddiqui said the squads were established to check overcharging by public transporters.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2016