KARACHI, Aug 19: Transporters have established 168 illegal bus stands in the city by encroaching upon plots, parks and road reservations meant for local buses’ operations.

Well-placed sources told Dawn the income generated through these bus stands, which ran into millions of rupees, went into the pockets of transporters causing a huge financial loss to the city government.

The sources said a survey was conducted before the city government came into being, which showed that a total of 171 local bus stands had been set up in the city. Of them, only three were legal: at Keamari, PIB Colony and Gulshan-i- Iqbal.

According to the survey, 168 bus stands are on encroached land. Of them, 118 are on road reservations. There are five in Saddar, one at Merewether Tower, three at West Wharf, three at Lea Market, one at Keamari, one at Pakistan Chowk, three at Cantt Station, two in Liaquatabad, five in Shireen Jinnah Colony/Gizri and Sultanabad, nine in Manzoor Colony, Mehmoodabad/Akhtar Colony, one in Chakiwara, seven in Gulbai/Rashidabad/Agra Taj Colony/Kharadar, nine at Mohajir Camp/Saeedabad/ Mowach Goth, 11 in Orangi Town/Qasba Colony, four in Nazimabad & North Nazimabad, 11 in North Karachi, one in Federal B- Area, three in Gulshan-i-Iqbal/Dhorajee, four in Shah Faisal Colony, two in Quaidabad, 10 in Malir/Saudabad/Khokhrapar, three in Cattle Colony/Labour Colony, 15 in Landhi-Korangi, one in KDA Scheme-33 and three in Airport area.

The survey showed that 50 bus stands were also established by encroaching upon open plots or parks. There are two in West Wharf, three in Liaquatabad, two in Shireen Jinnah Colony, one in Gulbai, four at Mohajir Camp/Saeedabad, four in Orangi Town, six in North Karachi, five in Federal B-Area, two in Gulshan-i-Iqbal, five in Quaidabad, four in Malir/ Saudabad, two in Labour Colony, eight in Landhi-Korangi, and two in KDA Scheme-33.

The sources said a token system, which was a key factor for reckless driving, resulting in fatal and non-fatal accidents, by drivers of public transport, was in operation and drivers had to pay fine if they reached their destinations late. Bus drivers had to pay Rs5-Rs25 at each bus stand/terminus as user fee. At some bus stands/terminuses bus drivers had to pay on each trip, and at some bus stands/terminuses they had to pay fee for a day.

The collection was made by a transporter, who had encroached upon that particular terminus/stand, commonly known as Adda, and the entire income generated through terminuses/ bus stands went into the pockets of transporters. The money was not spent on the improvement of transport facilities in the city, the sources said.

Another survey was also conducted, in which the defunct Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, now merged with the Karachi City District Government, had suggested 32 locations in the city for the setting up of stands for local buses.

The sources said if the city government regulated these stands for local buses, the income generated through these stands would have gone directly to the city government, and the money could have been spent on the development of transport facilities.

They said there was a law that made it mandatory for public transport drivers and conductors to wear uniform while on duty. The city government was considering implementing the law. Force could be applied to implement the law if transporters resisted its implementation.

They said in the major cities of Punjab plying of buses and other public transport vehicles which were more than five years old was banned. There was however no such ban in small towns.

The sources claimed that more than five years old buses were brought to Karachi where they plied the roads as there was no such ban here.