The operators of the inter-city air-conditioned coaches have started fleecing the commuters particularly the people of the flood-hit areas by increasing the existing fares to double, it is learnt. The owners of inter-city air-conditioned and local buses have arbitrarily raised the fares on all the upcountry routes because of a sudden increase in the number of passengers travelling to their hometowns for visiting their areas and relatives affected by the Super Flood.
According to a survey conducted by the Business Recorder on Monday the fares have been increased by at least Rs 300 to Rs 400 at all the inter-city bus terminals of the city. The passenger buses plying on Larkana, Sukkur and Jacobabad routes are fleecing the poor citizens by over-charging at least Rs 400 extra per seat. Moreover, Punjab-bound buses from the Cantt Station have also raised the fares and charging Rs 1,600 for Karachi to Lahore against Rs 1,300. Some of the bus operators are also charging Rs 1,700 per seat for the same route.
The buses, which are being operated from the Taj Medical Complex, Saddar to different district headquarters of Sindh, affected by the flashflood including Larkana, Kamber-Shahdadkot, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Kashmore-Kandhkot have also increased the fares by at least Rs 400 per seat. The air-conditioned coaches of Karachi-Nawabshah route have increased their fares to Rs 500 (from Rs 220), Karachi-Larkana route Rs 850 to Rs 900 (from Rs 430).
The employees at the booking counters at Saddar and Sohrab Goth said that the fares had been increased in view of the increase in number of passenger visiting their native towns and villages after the large-scale devastation caused by the flashflood. A passenger who had travelled to Larkana district had confirmed that he was charged Rs 900 for Larkana by a local transport company being operated from Taj Complex, Saddar.