LAHORE, Oct 8: Impounding of vehicles by police, traffic police and other government agencies for election duty gained momentum on Tuesday, creating serious transport problems for commuters.

The public transport problem was aggravated because of hiring of vehicles by candidates. The more resourceful candidates had already hired vehicles and parked them at appropriate places.

Only a limited number of wagons were plying in the provincial metropolis on Tuesday. The transporters claimed that most of these belonged to police officials as all others had been impounded and sent to the election duty pools.

Motorcycle-rickshaws, rickshaws, cabs and urban buses were the only transport available to commuters. Motorcycle-rickshaw drivers, who usually charge reasonable fare, also doubled fare.

“They are taking full advantage of the situation,” said a youth at Kotha Pind, Faisal Town. He said that he had never seen a motorcycle-rickshaw on this road before.

The commuters had been facing a transport problem since Sunday and they would continue to face it till Thursday.

Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool told reporters at Alhamra on Tuesday that the people would have to face the transport problem for two more days as they had no alternatives to impounding of public transport vehicles.

Commuters’ rush at bus-stops was a common sight on Tuesday. The few wagons plying on roads were seen awfully overloaded. Commuters were also seen travelling on to the roofs of mini-buses.

The Daewoo bus service was also reported to be charging extra fare. A commuter, Asghar, told Dawn that on refusal to pay extra fare the conductor asked him to get off the bus.

The commuters were angry over the impounding of public transport and were cursing the government for creating problems for them.

Government and semi-government employees, students and employees of private firms could not reach their offices due to transport shortage.

Daily wage-earners suffered the most due to transport shortage.

Most of the impounding vehicles were parked in police stations, areas adjacent to police stations, open spaces, plots and public parks. While the candidates parked the hired vehicles outside their election offices and in streets.

The police were also impounding vehicles belonging to newspapers and common people. Private school vans were also impounded and school administrations had announced holiday for Wednesday.

Meanwhile, over three dozen drivers staged a protest demonstration outside the Old Campus. They were chanting slogans against the impounding of their vehicles.

They said the police had impounded their vehicles on Monday without promising any rent. They said they were also not given food.