ISLAMABAD, July 7: Though the prices of petroleum products have been decreased by almost Rs16 per litre and that of compressed natural gas (CNG) by around Rs10 per kilogramme during the last 45 days, public transporters are not ready to bring down the fares.

On the other hand, the federal capital administration has cut the fares by up to Rs4, but the transporters have not implemented it.

A citizen, Imran Shahid, said public transporters were charging Rs15 for stop to stop travel. On route number one, which starts from Saddar Rawalpindi and ends at Pakistan Secretariat in Islamabad, the transporters are charging Rs40 from each passenger.

“On route number 21, from Soan Depot to the Secretariat, the fare is Rs40. Even if a passenger has to travel a few hundred yards, he has to pay Rs15,” he said.

Another citizen, Nazir Ahmed said that in April the maximum transport fare was Rs25 and minimum (stop to stop) Rs12, but on May 22 the transporters increased the fares claiming that due to the increase in petrol prices they could not afford to run their vehicles.

“The government has reduced the prices of petroleum products and CNG but still transporters are not willing pass on the benefits to the commuters,” he said.

He said the administration should take notice of the overcharging and ensure that transporters decreased their fares.

Malik Amjad said he travels from Khyber Plaza to Karachi Company in public transport every day and could feel the problems faced by the commuters.

“It is unfortunate that relief is not being transferred to the common man even if the government wants to resolve their issues,” he said.Sohaib Ahmed said he travels on rout number 101 from CDA stop in sector I-10 to Aabpara.

“In May, I used to pay Rs20 to the public transporters but now they are charging Rs25,” he said.

An official of Islamabad capital territory administration, Khalid Mehmood, said a notification regarding reduction of the fares had been issued on July 6.

According to the revised fares, CNG transport fares have been reduced by Rs3 to Rs4 while that for vehicles running on diesel by Re1 to Rs2, he said.

Secretary Islamabad Transport Authority Khawja Maqbool Mustafa has launched a traffic checking drive to ensure strict implementation of the new fares, he said.

The president of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Transport Union, Malik Mohammad Sultan, while talking to Dawn said though the fares had been increased on May 22 it was also a fact that for the last many months the transporters had been demanding an increase in the fares.

“Now the government wants to introduce the fares of February 2010 which is not possible for us,” he added.

By A Reporter