The passengers leaving for their hometowns are perturbed over hefty increase in fares on the eve of upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, as taking advantage of the situation transporters have increased fares by 50 percent, a survey conducted by Business Recorder revealed on Wednesday.
The inter-city transporters are fleecing passengers and they are overcharging even more than two times the normal fares as the passengers want to reach their hometowns before the Eid festivities. As the Eid-ul-Fitr is approaching most of residents of twin cities (Islamabad-Rawalpindi) are leaving for their hometowns to celebrate the Eid with their families. Huge crowds of passengers can be witnessed at Pir Wadhai general bus stand, G-9, Islamabad bus stand and Faizabad bus stand.
As the number of public transport vehicles is less to accommodate the passengers, the local transporters are fleecing them by overcharging. This situation often results in exchange of hot words between transporters and commuters as formers are not ready to accept fare increase by the transporters at their own.
Criticising the government, commuters were of the opinion that neither the local administration nor the district governments are showing any interest in punishing the transporters. Shahid Khan, a transporter, said it was their right to increase the fares, as they had to pay 'Eidi' to all traffic police circles in each city they passed through and had to share their profits with the police officials. Abbas Ali, a passenger leaving for DG Khan, said that the transporters don't park their vehicles on Bus Stands just to blackmail the passengers.
"Some drivers are creating an artificial shortage of vehicles to charge exorbitant rates. The bus stands inform that they were short of vehicles while on the other hand, the transporters park their vehicles away from passengers' sight, yet close to the bus stands; and the cleaners are fleecing the commuters by overcharging.