KOHAT, Jan 12: Local transporters have increased fare on their own citing the recent hike in compressed natural gas price as a cause for it.

Under the law, only the district transport authority can increase or decrease fare of inter-city and intra-city transport vehicles. Ironically, the authority has no meeting for two years.

Though CNG price was increased by Rs8 of late, fare has almost been doubled leading to heated exchanges between commuters and transporters.

People said they used to pay Rs10 for van travel between Kohat city and Kacha Pakha on Hangu Road but after CNG price was hiked, the fare was increased 100 per cent.

They also complained of overcharging by transporters operating on KohatRawalpindi route and said of late, van fare from Kohat city to Rawalpindi went up from Rs180 to Rs1,000 due to suspension of CNG sale but the transport authority or traffic police disregarded it.

Mohammad Ijaz, who regularly travels between Kohat and Islamabad, complained of overloading by transporters in violation of traffic rules and said 16 to 18 passengers were huddled in vehicles against the seating capacity of 14.

He and other commuters demanded a reasonable increase in fare in view of the recent increase in CNG price. They also called for end to overloading of transport vehicles.