Transporters fleecing commuters as families start going to hometowns for Eid

Rawalpindi: The fresh hike in prices of petroleum products has added fuel to the fire because transporters have started looting passengers freely with both hands and charging extra fares. All terminals and Rawalpindi Railway Station remained jam-packed with passengers on Saturday as a majority of families started leaving for their hometowns to celebrate Eidul Fitr which is likely to fall on April 10. Large numbers of passengers can be witnessed at all bus terminals and also at Rawalpindi Railway Station.

The federal government has made long route travelling public difficult due to hefty price hikes for petroleum products. The long route transporters on the pretext of POL prices have started charging over 30 to 40 per cent extra fares. Some of the transporters are even charging double fares but higher authorities are seeing the whole drama with closed eyes.

The District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA) Secretary Muhammad Rashid told ‘The News’ that they are trying to control overcharging on the occasion of Eid. He said that they have information about over charging so they will never spare looters and profiteers at any cost. “We will impose fines and confiscate their vehicles for charging extra fares. I am personally visiting all terminals to control over charging, he assured.

The majority of families have complained that the government should have started holidays from April 9 Tuesday so they could have easily reached their native villages. The official Eid holidays will begin on Wednesday (April 10) but most of the non-locals have already left for their hometowns, while the remaining will go till ‘Chand Raat’. Similarly, a large number of passengers could be witnessed at Rawalpindi Railway Station waiting for trains.

Most office goers have sent their families to their hometowns to avoid rush difficulties in the coming days. It would be difficult to get a bus or train in the coming days on ‘Chand Raat’.

Rashid Mehmood, who was going to Lahore said he always preferred to travel home with his family on train because road transport was unpredictable. He complained that private transporters overcharge and misbehave with people on the occasions of Eid and other festivals.

A large number of people also thronged bus terminals at Faizabad, Pirwadhai, Soan, Peshawar Morr and Karachi Company.

Muhammad Waseem, a passenger going to Khanewal said the booking staff of the bus terminal had told him about the non-availability of seats. Their staff purchased the tickets under fake names and sold them to commuters at inflated rates, he alleged.

Some people at the Soan bus terminal complained that they had tickets but there was no vehicle to take them to their destinations. “I have a ticket for Faisalabad but the terminal administration is not arranging a wagon,” said a passenger. The people at different bus terminals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad alleged that the authorities concerned have failed to stop overcharging and overloading.