LAHORE, Aug 24: Whether it is a public meeting to be addressed by some government high-up or general or local elections, it has become a routine that the public has to suffer for lack of planning at the government’s part.

Hundreds of buses, minibuses and coaches impounded for the local election duty remained off the city roads on Wednesday causing great inconvenience to the public.

People had to face great hardship while travelling within the provincial metropolis and to other cities on account of large-scale impounding of public transport vehicles by the city district administration and police.

Rickshaw and taxi drivers took full advantage of the transport shortage and charged the public at will.

Owners of buses and coaches operating on various inter-city routes also took undue advantage of the situation and in some cases charged 50 per cent extra fare, besides resorting to overloading.

It is being feared that the transport shortage will continue on Thursday (today) as well because the impounded vehicles will be used to transport government employees to their respective places of duty.

CRITICISM: The Feerozepur Road Industries Association has criticized the government policy of impounding the buses and wagons for election duty.