Increase in petrol, diesel prices: transporters brace for raising fares

The public transport fares are likely to be increased by the operators of the city following the post-Eid increase in petroleum oil products by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), it is learnt. Transport operators told Business Recorder on Tuesday that an emergency meeting of the transporters' representative body, Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI), would be held on December 2, 2009, which would chalk out the future line of action.
Initially, the transporters would ask the Sindh government to urge the federal government to withdraw the decision of hike in petrol and diesel prices. If the decision of hike in POL prices is not withdrawn, the operators would give strike call and would insist that they would raise public transport fares as a last option, they said.
The increase in petroleum prices is linked with the everything, and the prices of all food items, particularly the daily-use commodities, would also be raised. That would add to miseries of already poor people, they said, adding that the transporters were compelled to increase the fares as it had become difficult for them to continue with their business. The rates of vehicles' spare parts have been increased manifold.
The increase in prices would increase the expenses of each vehicle by at least Rs 10,000 to 12,000 per day. They said that Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah had recently allowed increase in public transport fares by Rs 2 and in this regard a notification was also issued by the provincial transport department.
They said that the provincial government would allow the transport community to raise the fares as the authorities have no solid reason to persuade them (transporters) not to increase the fares. When contacted, KTI President Irshad Hussain Bukhari did not comment on expected increase in the transport fares. However, he said that an emergency meeting of the transport community would be held on December 2 to review the overall situation. "We would increase the public transport fares as a last option", he added.