ACUTE shortage of public transport on Saturday caused great trouble to the commuters in the provincial metropolis as the majority of the vehicles was commandeered for the general election.
Taking advantage of the situation, rickshaw drivers increased the fare by 150 to 300 percent. Motorcycle-rickshaws and two stroke auto-rickshaws were also seen running on The Mall and Jail Road where their entry is banned. For an hour or so after 7am, there were a large number of commuters on every intersection and bus stop but no public transport were there.
Even the van stand near the railway station wore a deserted look and the movement of buses at the stands of franchised bus companies was also slow.
However, the motorcycle-rickshaws carried the commuters to their workplaces and other destinations. These rickshaws charged Rs15 to Rs20 per passenger for the distance they used to get Rs5 per head.
An office-bearer of the Muttahida Transport Council Punjab (MTCP) on the condition of anonymity said the candidates of all the major political parties had already hired a good number of van and mini-buses.
He said that there were around 10,000 van and over 300 buses and mini buses operating for public in the city. Majority of the vehicles was booked by the candidates, he said. He said that Abdul Aleem Khan and Nazeer Chohan were on the top to hire the vehicles.
The booking rates of vans ranged from Rs 5,500 to Rs 6,000 per day without fuel. The vans in better condition were also hired for Rs 10,000 per day.
An official of the city district government said that the 350 vehicles were hired for poling process on Rs 1,500 rent per day. He said that the CDGL had not impounded any bus or van for any party candidate.
Meanwhile, sources said that the police were allegedly involved in impounding vehicles for the PML-Q candidates. They said that a larger number of public transport had forcibly been commandeered by the police officials in the city which caused troubled to the commuters.
They said that police had been given the target to commandeer 4,100 van, buses, mini-buses and pick-ups. So far, 3,900 private transport vehicles have been impounded by the police on the pretext of transportation of election staff and material.
In fact, most of the impounded vehicles that are in good condition will be at the disposal of candidates of the former ruling party, the said.