KARACHI, Oct 8: Taking notice of overcharging by transport operators in the inter-city fares ahead of Eidul Fitr, the Sindh government has directed DCO and DIG Traffic to constitute joint teams of the city government and traffic police to carry out raids and check the violation. The officials to be inducted in the teams would have powers of a special magistrate.

The directive has been issued to DCO Javed Hanif and DIG Wajid Ali Khan on the directives of the provincial Minister for Transport Adil Siddiqui.

The minister has also issued necessary directives to the officials concerned of the transport department in this regard.

The city government has been told to conduct raids on inter-city bus termini to check overcharging in transport fares.

According to the plan, the registration number of the vehicles involved and the name of the transport company operating these vehicles would be submitted to the transport department, which would take an appropriate action. The action may include cancellation of route permit under Section 62 of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance-1965.

Meanwhile, the department has issued the fare list for the airconditioned and non-airconditioned buses being operated on the inter-city routes.

The fare of airconditioned bus from Karachi: Hyderabad Rs120, Mirpurkhas Rs160, Nawabshah 180, Sukkur/Larkana/Shikarpur Rs250, Jacobabad Rs280, Dera Murad Jamali/Osta Mohammad/Sadiqabad Rs400, Dera Ghazi Khan/Alipur Rs450, Lahore Rs850, Rawalpindi/Mansehra Rs900 and Muzaffarabad Rs950.

The fare of non airconditioned bus from Karachi: Hyderabad Rs80, Sukkur/Larkana/ Shikarpur Rs160, Lahore Rs550 and Rawalpindi Rs600.

Travelers have been asked not to pay more than the fixed fare and inform the traffic police/DCO/secretary PTA or any police station if anyone insisted on higher fare.—PPI