SWABI, Aug 17: Strike was observed by transporters on Friday against the establishment of a toll tax plaza on Swabi-Mardan road and bus stand at Shewa Adda.

During the last three days the transporters of Swabi-Mardan road had kept their vehicles off the road but on Friday all the transporters operating on routes from Swabi to Topi, Jehangira, Peshawar, Abbottabad, Rawalpindi and other cities joined the strike. The Flying Coach Union, Bus Union, Pick-up Union and Taxi Drivers’ Union had agreed to confront the Tehsil Municipal Administration’s decisions.

The transporters had warned the TM against establishment of bus stand at Shewa Adda and construction of the toll tax plaza and said that the vehicles running on Swabi-Mardan road were local and they could not pay toll tax on each trip.

They said there was no justification for setting up a bus stand at Shewa Adda because they paid toll tax at Swabi bus stand and each transporter was charged Rs5 when he took a break at the Shewa Adda bus stop.

The transporters vowed to continue their strike till their demands were met.

A TMA official said the administration needed taxes to fulfil its responsibilities and the transporters had to pay taxes.

The transporters’ leaders had demanded that if the toll plaza and bus stand were established, the government should increase the fares, but the administration refused.

A large number of people waited for hours at Kernel Sher Chowk for transport.

The transporters charge Rs2 fare from Swabi to Gohati bus stop but tractor-trolley and tonga owners charged Rs10 from each commuter on Friday.

Some passengers complained that the flying coach operators charged Rs17 for Mardan instead of Rs12.