KARACHI, Sept 1: The transport and communications department of the city government and the Sindh Transport Department have miserably failed to enforce discipline among transporters operating between Malir and Landhi-Korangi.
Although the residents of the area have been facing transport problem for a long time, the city government is yet to operate a new and comfortable route between Landhi-Korangi and Malir. They have been time and again asking the authorities concerned to introduce some more routes and to discontinue the old routes being monopolised by the KL-F-1 and KL-1 operators due to their continuous violations of rules and regulations.
They are only minting money from commuters and are not coming up to their requirements, said a resident of Malir who travels daily up to Korangi from these buses.
He said that he had no other choice but to travel by these buses, which from the starting point of the journey straight away refuse to go to Korangi. Explaining, he said, these transporters earned more in case of short distances as the commuters vacated these seats after every two to three stops, but in the case of long distances, the seat remained occupied by a single person. So they never encourage commuters to travel by a direct bus, he added saying that this is a cause for concern among a majority of the commuters who want to travel up to Korangi from Malir or vice versa.
Inquiries revealed that although old and rickety wagons are being operated here, there is no check from the officials concerned and the transporters get the route permits renewed after greasing the palms of the officials concerned.
A large number of vehicles are running without route permits after obliging personnel of the traffic police, who allow these transporters to continue to flout routes.
The traffic hounds even do not take action against the transporters playing cassettes, and asking women to sit by the driver’s seat.
Moreover, in a wagon of 12 seats, at least 20 commuters are forced to sit or hang on the dash board. At least three women are made to sit with the driver, thus making it difficult for the driver to shift gears on one hand and on the other develops a feeling of uneasiness among the women passengers.
Another four on an ordinary seat made on the place where engines of these vehicles exist, and another three on the seat just behind the driver.
How it is happening in a metropolitan city and in an Islamic Republic where representation of women in assemblies is increasing, remarked an old woman.
Inquiries further revealed that most of the women traveling with their children are denied travel rights by the conductors and drivers, and often altercations take place over the issue of fares as they indulge in overcharging.
A number of transporters do not complete their full journey up to Korangi and start the return journey from whatever place they like.
Owing to bad condition of vehicles, especially of yellow wagons, passengers suffer the most and a number of people have received minor injuries during travel in these buses as there is no check on the condition of buses, and as old as 30-years-old buses are being operated on F-1, KL and KL-1 route.
Landhi-Korangi bound commuters traveling by F-1 and KL, KL-1 yellow wagons, operating from Malir, Saudabad, Khokhrapar complained about gross violation of rules by these buses which cause ultimate sufferings to them.
They said that commuters who wanted to travel to Landhi-Korangi from Malir or vice versa faced immense problems owing to bad condition of vehicles, continuous playing of cassette-recorders, overcharging, incomplete journey, and drivers and conductors misbehavior with people.
A large number of LPG-operated buses are continuously being allowed by the transport department. Besides posing threat to the health of the masses, LPG’s sickening odour further adds to the miseries of the commuters.
The residents of Malir, Landhi and Korangi have demanded introduction of large comfortable buses on the route so that they can heave a sigh of relief.