Funds mismanagement and alleged corruption in the transport department of University of Karachi (KU) have rendered over 20,000 students to suffer because varsity's point busses are in dilapidated condition, not being repaired and maintained properly. KU's transport department staff is blamed of stealing diesel from quota inflicting severe financial losses to the tune of million of rupees every month.
Recently, the blame game took a lead in KU after quarrel between KU transport department in-charge Professor S M Khalid and the drivers, both parties held each other responsible for committing corrupt practices in the department. The drivers and cleaners of the busses staged protest demonstrations against the Chairman of Transport Department. They alleged that he (Professor Khalid) was involved in financial embezzlement and he was not releasing funds for repairing and maintenance of busses.
The drivers and cleaners stopped plying busses which forced students to protest against the KU administration. On Monday, students took out a rally against the varsity administration, demanding restoration of service of point busses. They also staged a sit-in outside the vice chancellor's office. "I have restrained the drivers from stealing diesel and other corrupt practices due to which they started campaigning against me," Professor S M Khalid told this correspondent.
Professor Khalid said since he has taken over transport department theft of diesel and other malpractices have been curtailed to a certain extent. However, he said he rid the department from corruption completely. Sources said the KU University earns about Rs 1,300 per trip from 70-seat bus. During a visit to KU, the buses were seen overcrowded with almost 100-120 students in each bus.
Sources said the university has provided Rs 175,000 per month as contingency amount for transport department. The monthly income from the point buses is approximately Rs 1 million while fuel consumption is of Rs 3.8 million per month which shows a big gap between income and expenses. "When the university has already been facing severe financial crunch, stealing of diesel and irregularities in students' collection is adding woes to the students," sources said. "The drivers and cleaners also submit only Rs 700 to the departments' account while rest of the money is embezzled by crew members of the busses," sources told this correspondent. They said stealing of diesel was adding financial woes to the department.
Contrary to repeated pledges to provide necessary facilities to 27,000 of its students studying in both evening and morning shifts, the University of Karachi has regrettably failed to add more buses in its existing fleet. Students arriving at the varsity from far-off areas moaned and groaned at shortage of point buses that provide them easy transportation means at their respective departments, especially in the simmering summer, within the university, that itself spread on more than 1,200 acres.
This shortage has led to dangerous overcrowding and there have been instances of students being killed or injured after falling off the buses. Many students have lost their limbs during travelling in these overcrowded point buses. The university management has already banned entry of private vehicles in the premises due to security reasons, which have added to the woes of students and so with the inter-varsity transport buses, which is itself overloaded, putting students life at risk.
"There are only 28 point busses for more than 27,000 students of the varsity, which is insufficient to cater to the needs of the students. At least 2,700 non-teaching employees and 7,000 teaching staff is working in the university and most of them rely on transport facility provided by the varsity," Asad Rashid, a student of Geology Department, said.
He also blamed the transport department for embezzling money that it earned through advertisement on the buses. Sources said there was master plan to elevate the fleet of buses up to 100 by the then vice chancellor, but despite passage of many years the plan could not be materialised.
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