Commuters get peanuts as revised fare list for local transporters issued

Rawalpindi

District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA) has issued revised fare list to local transporters here on Monday. 

The concerned authority has cut down fare by 10-paisa per kilometer, which means there will be no change in stop-to-stop fare and it will remain at Rs12 while a cut of Re1 has been made for last stop from Rs30 to Rs29. The fresh revision has been rejected by the commuters who termed it a joke with public. 

The commuters have demanded government to decrease overall fare by Rs4 to Rs5 and fix stop-to-stop fare at Rs8.  

According to notification No-SO (TR-1)2-6/2000(5) issued by Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) the stop-to-stop fare for 1 to 4 kilometer distance will remain same at Rs12. Whereas Re1 has been cut down from the fare of 4 to 8 kilometer distance. Now it will be Rs13 instead of Rs14. From 8.1 to 14 kilometer distance, the fare has been fixed at Rs17 instead of Rs18. From 14 to 22 kilometer distance, the fare has been fixed at Rs20 against Rs21. From 22 to 30 kilometer distance, the fare has been fixed at Rs24 against Rs25 and Rs29 against Rs30 for last stop that is above 30 kilometer distance. 

The Punjab government has revised fares according to Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965.

Tradition regarding lowering down prices of all items especially transport fares after cutting down rates of POL products seems to have died down as besides transporters both local and long routes as well as traders both wholesalers and retailers are looting public with both hands as per routine even after reduction in petrol and diesel prices. The benefit of reduction of POL prices has not been passed on to the general public and they are still buying daily use items on exorbitant prices.

Recently the government cut down petrol and diesel prices by Rs5 per liter but powerful transporters local and long routes with full backing of concerned authority showed negative attitude in fixing fares stop-to-stop at Rs8. 

The reliable sources informed ‘The News’ that Punjab government decided to cut down overall fares by Rs3 and fix Rs10 as stop-to-stop fare but the transporters with full backing of concerned authority did not allow it to do so. The transporters with full backing of concerned authority threatened of wheel jam strike if Punjab government cut down overall fare by Rs3 and fix stop-to-stop fare at Rs10.

A survey conducted by ‘The News’ after launching of Metro Bus Service here in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, private transporters including wagons, Suzuki and mini-buses charging fares according to their own whim. Suzuki running from Raja Bazaar to Sihala is charging Rs15 as stop-to-stop fare, wagons of Route No.121, Route No 9, Suzuki from Saddar to Dhamyal are charging Rs13 as stop-to-stop fare. The situation is the same on all other routes.        

District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA) spokesman Muhammad Mushtaq told ‘The News’ that they have issued this revised notification of fares to all transporters. The transporters would charge fares according to this notification, he claimed. He also said that they have no power to fix fares only PTA was the authority to fixe transport fares.