Despite registering substantial reduction in petroleum prices by the government over past one and half month, it has not passed on benefit to commuters, as usual all the time, the transports mafia had refused to make reduction in fares rates. Showing inability by transport authorities to implement its new fare rates at long and local routes, transporters are continuously overcharging the commuters by defying the order of charging reduced fares after the significant decreases in the petroleum products' prices.
Though, the government had significantly reduced oil prices by Rs 19 per litre over past one month, the urban transport and cabbies had not decreased fares accordingly, complained the commuters. They further said the transporters and businessmen enjoying the relief because of the cut in petroleum prices would not reduce the fares and prices until the police and authorities, will launch a crackdown on them.
According to survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Saturday, noticed that all public transporters are still charging old fares from commuters, especial local routes in the provincial capital. Commuters and transporters frequently seen exchanging of hot words and arguments, and incidents of brawls have also witnessed in wake of non-reduction in transports fares on several routes.
After twice cut in prices of petroleum commodities, the government had yet again extended gift of new year, by slashing Rs 6.25 per liter in petrol prices, HOBC Rs 14.14 per liter, Kerosene oil Rs 11.26, light diesel oil Rs 10.48 and High Diesel Oil by Rs 7.86 per liter, implemented from January 01, 2015, but acknowledged that full impact has not been passed on to the public to make up for Rs 17 billion revenue loss in total. The government also regretted that transporters have not passed on the benefit of decline in oil prices to the public.
Following the government decision, the provincial transport authority (PTA) has again slashed fares rates up to eight percent in inter-district routes and local routes, with effect of further huge cut third time in prices of petroleum commodities, announced by the government from January-01, 2015. However, KP transporters were yet again reluctant to reduce fares as per new fares, violating the new fare lists, issued by the provincial transport authority.
Defending non-reduction in fare rates by making old and traditional remarks, transporters said that most of their vehicles, plying on long and local routes have been converted into Compressed Natural Gas, as the CNG prices registered manifold increase over the recent past, so it could be difficult to fares rates in line with fresh decrease in petroleum commodities, by the federal government, they added.
Nuama Javed told this scribe that transporters don't board them on the pretext of transport fares. He said that he was travelling from Hashtnagri to Arbab Road University, and the conductor claimed the old fare of Rs 40. When he referred to newly revised fares of PTA, the conductor asked him to sit quiet or step down from his wagon. Another passenger, Javed Ahmad, travelling from Saddar to University, also made similar allegation. He said that the conductor charged Rs 20 instead of Rs 15 and refused that fares have been reduced by the provincial transport authority.
Following the decision of federal government, the PTA has also cut down prices of petroleum commodities up to seven percent in inter-district, long and local routes effect of third time cut, implemented from January, 01 2015. When contacted this scribe Khan Zaman Afridi, president of public Transport Owner Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa why they do not reduce fare rates, then took a stance that most of vehicle, plying on long and local routes on compressed natural gas (CNG) from diesel and petrol. He added the official rate of CNG has been fixed at Rs 72.25 per kilogram, but it was sold at Rs 76 per kilogram. We will ready to reduce fare rates, when the government could announce reduction in prices of CNG, Afridi said.
The transporters leader said they are charging fares rates, fixed in 2010 despite fluctuation in petroleum rates, we didn't changed fares. He further said the price of engine oil and vehicles other spared parts have been substantial increase, due to which they are unable to decrease fares. Similarly, he said in sky-rocketing prices of daily use commodities, and increasing expenditure, is making difficult to manage their expense on the daily-basis.
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