MURREE: Despite the drastic reduction in the petroleum prices, public transporters in Murree have not reduced fares as announced by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).

Transport vans on the routes of Aliyot, Phagwarri, Dewal, Barriya, Murree city and other areas are still overcharging the passengers.

There were also reports of scuffles between the passengers and van conductors over the issue of fares.

According to the list of fares issued by the RTA, the fare from Faizabad in Rawalpindi to Murree city is Rs72 for vehicles running on petrol and Rs59 for vehicles on CNG. But the transporters are charging Rs100 from the passengers.

The fare from Faizabad to Jikagali is Rs80 but the passengers still have to pay Rs110. For Dewal, the transporters are charging Rs130 against the official fare of Rs90 and for Dhanda Rs140 against Rs98.

If any passenger objects to the high fare, the van driver and conductor not only insult him but also force him to get out of the vehicle.

If passengers complain to the traffic police officials, they respond that it was not under their jurisdiction to check the fares. At night, due to the shortage of vehicles on the routs of Murree the transporters also start fleecing the passengers.

But there is no government authority to take action against the transporters.

Sayyab Abbasi, Hafeez Abbasi, Javed Abbasi, Imran Abbasi and others said the van drivers were hands in glove with each other and were fleecing the commuters.

After the reduction in the prices of Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), the dealers here also did not reduce the prices.

According to the new prices, the domestic cylinder of LPG should be sold at Rs1300 but in various areas of Murree it is still selling on the old rate of Rs1800. LPG is the largest consumed fuel in the rural areas of Murree and with the arrival of the winter season its demand has increased.

Local people appealed to the government to take notice of the situation and ensure the sale of LPG at the reduced prices.

“The government failed to fulfil its promise to supply natural gas to the people of Murree but it should at least make sure the supply of LPG at the prescribed rates,” said Imran Abbasi, a resident of Aliyot.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2014