LAHORE: The ‘much-touted’ shift from Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) flat fare to distance-based fare system seems to have boomeranged as long queues of passengers are being seen at various stations since the second half of November.

In November this year, the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Parvez Elahi, executed the plan to change the OLMT flat fare [Rs40 per commuter] to distance-based fare.

As per the new paradigm, the minimum and maximum tickets for the OLMT are Rs20 and Rs40 per passenger, respectively. The minimum fare is being charged on a stop-to-stop basis (one station to the next) or one stop to the next stop after a few stations. The rates gradually rise to Rs25, 30, 35, and 40 with the increase in distance.

After the implementation of the new system, passengers are asked about their destination and staff feed the station name and issue ticket/coin as per the notified fare. The process is taking a lot of time and passengers have to queue up to get their details fed into the computer system.

Distance-based fare results in long queues of passengers at different stations

A long queue of passengers intending to travel to one destination has been observed at Thokar Niaz Beg station. Likewise, various queues can be seen for different destinations. The entire process is cumbersome and taxing for commuters who have to wait for almost an hour to get the ticket.

“I used to park my car at Thokar Niaz Beg and board the train at 11am for Railway Station stop to reach my shop at Brandreth Road. Prior to the new arrangement, getting a ticket was a smooth sailing and I would reach my shop in 35 to 40 minutes. But now, it takes around 45 minutes to get a ticket which defeats the very purpose of a hassle-free travel, whereas the saving amounts to a paltry Rs5 as my ticket has come down to Rs35,” says Saeed Ahmed, a resident of Johar Town, while talking to Dawn.

“Same is the situation at the Railway Station stop. In the compartment I overhear people [who board the train at different stations] cursing the authorities concerned for executing a flawed [read populist] scheme,” he says.

Saeed goes on to say that two days after implementation of the new fare regime in the last week of November, he opted for OLMT travel card to avert the hassle. “If you have a card, your access to the platform is just a scan away.”

There is a general impression that the government, in the long term, wants to completely shift to travel card, initially costing Rs130, with a view to increase revenue collecting. The passengers will have to recharge card [in addition to initial Rs130 card fee] for a convenient travel.

Muhammad Marouf, another commuter who was fuming with anger at Thokar station, says the quality of the card is not up to the mark as he used it for about a week and due to a ‘minor scratch’ now it is not showing the previous balance on recharge. He quotes the official concerned as saying that its data has vanished.

Mr Saif, control room in-charge at Gulshan-i-Ravi station, says: “It’s a policy decision made by the government and we are just ensuring its implementation. The [nearby] Bund Road station draws crowds on Saturdays and Sundays as families in droves travel by the train.”

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2022