Like anywhere else in the country, passengers, who are heading to their hometowns to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with their families, are perturbed by the high fares and waiting in long queues for hours at intercity terminals in Peshawar. They complained that public transporters have inflated fares on the pretext of increase in oil prices.
A large number of working people and students seeking education and earning in Peshawar have also packed up the luggage on Monday to leave for their respective hometowns to celebrate Eid festival, but the inflated fares and overcharging on all inter-city routes which is widespread is already spoiling their Eid plans.
In a visit to Peshawar bus terminals, it was witnessed that exchange of heated words between passengers and drivers are being witnessed on transport stands for overcharging them. The travelers have complained about charging fares extra from 40 to 50 per cent. They said that public transporters have inflated fares on the pretext of increase in petrol and diesel prices.
The increase is not an unusual phenomenon, as it is a common practice with the transporters to overcharge the passengers. On any festive occasion especially Eid, when people are desperate to reach their home, the fares go skyward.
Despite that the government has formed teams for controlling increasing bus fares charged by bus operators, passengers have considered it as a sort of formality which has not been implemented in its true sense. They have been asking for a reason why the government doesn't take any action to resolve the matter.
In the scorching heat of summer, hundreds of passengers have to wait in long queues for hours before they could actually start their journeys.
On the other hand, the transporters have said that the gradual increase in prices of diesel and petrol, they not left any other option but to increase fares rates unilaterally. The transporters have put the blame on the authorities of intercity terminals.
Passengers use to go their native villages via different transport services told Business Recorder that as per routine they were facing difficulties in approaching their native towns this Eid as well. They pointed out that most bus terminals are selling tickets at inflated rates of 15% to 30%.
Meanwhile, City traffic police on Monday here launched crackdown against transporters for overcharging fares from the passengers proceeding to their native villages and town across the country on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Hundreds of passengers were returned the extra money by the traffic police charged by the transporters at the Bus Stands which was highly lauded by the people. The operation was launched on the people's complaint about double charging of fares at the Bus Stands.
Chief Traffic Police Officer Kashif Zulfiqar issues instructions to SP Traffic Fazal Ahmed Jan for the operation against the transporters over public complaints of excessive fares being charged by the drivers for various destinations.
SP Traffic formed special committees which conducted raids at General Bus Stands, Kohat Adda, and Charsadd Adda and fined the owners of the transport for overcharging of fares.
Comments
Comments are closed.