LAKKI MARWAT, Aug 5: The district regional transport authority has fixed transport fares for passenger vehicles plying on different routes during a meeting at the DCO office here.

Several issues of public concern came up for discussion including the illegal increase in transport fares, installation of extra seats in Hiace coaches and establishment of illegal stands for transport vehicles. Officials took several key decisions in this regard.

The district coordination officer, Kifayatullah Khan, presided over the meeting. Among those who attended the meeting were ACO Syed Khalin Israr Shah, TMO Lakki Arbab Jamil Ahmad, TMO Naurang Muhammad Maqbool Khan, Inspector Excise and Taxation Muhammad Hanif Khan, MMPI Mehmood Khan, SI Akbar Ali, assistant DRTA Zard Ali Khan, social worker Haji Muhammad Tarik Sikandari, transporter Haji Muhammad Zaman and president of Al-Itehaad Flying Coach Union Lakki unit Mehmood Khan.

In his address on the occasion, Mr Kifayatullah Khan instructed the traffic police to ensure that all passenger vehicles displayed the approved fare list and Hiace coaches complied with an order to remove extra seats.

He voiced dissatisfaction with Adda contractors for overcharging drivers and asked tehsil municipal officers of Lakki and Naurang to provide scheduled rates of all Addas to transporters. He warned that strict action would be initiated against contractors who were found guilty of charging more fees.

The district coordination officer expressed anger over the presence of illegal stands for vehicles in urban and rural areas and directed the concerned quarters to take prompt action against such structures on main chowks and around roads within TMA limits or outside it.

“Officials and traffic police personnel must ensure that rickshaws, motorcycles and scooters are not driven by under-age drivers,” the DCO said. “They must also stop rickshaw drivers from playing tape recorders,” he said.

Mr Khan instructed TMOs to designate suitable sites for rickshaw stands and depute two export tax clerks of the district council to pass on information about the setting up of illegal vehicle stands, parking spots and encroachments in the limits of Lakki city on main Tajazai-Darra Tang road.

He said that Frontier Highway Authority officials would soon be contacted for the early execution of maintenance and repair projects along Tajazai-Darra Tang road and removal of encroachments and speed humps there.