Taxis, rickshaws running without fare meters for 32 years

Drivers charging fares from public at will

Rawalpindi

Taxi and rickshaw drivers are looting public at will, as they have been running their vehicles without fare meters for 32 years despite raising hue and cry by the commuters.

The drivers had stopped using fare meters in their vehicles in 1984 and since then the authorities concerned, Regional Transport Authority (RTA), could not implement the plan of installing meters in taxis operating in the city despite several announcements by Secretary Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) in this regard.

It was surprising and interesting as well that taxi fare meters were not available throughout the country. There was a registered company for making taxi meters here in Islamabad near Karachi Company but now it was not operational for years. Both federal and provincial governments failed to provide meters in open market for years.

District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA) official spokesman Muhammad Asif Khan told ‘The News’ that meters have not been available in the country for years. There was a company in Islamabad where taxi drivers could purchase meters but it had also stopped making meters for years, he claimed. There were meters in all taxis and rickshaws till 1984 but after that taxis and rickshaws were running without meters, he said. He also admitted that the PTA secretary had issued notifications to install meters in taxis but the fare meters were not available in the market.

The Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) secretaries had issued several notifications to install meters in taxis. In 2010, secretary Punjab Transport Authority (PTA) had issued a notification to install meters in all cabs. In compliance of the directives, the RTA Rawalpindi had also asked taxi drivers to ensure installation of these meters, which were aimed at fixing the fare according to mileage of the vehicle. The city authorities had also fixed the fare for air-conditioned taxis at Rs9 per kilometre, while Rs7 per kilometre was for vehicles without air conditioner at that time. But, there was no implementation regarding installations of meters.

It is also worth mentioning here that federal and provincial governments had withdrawn their notifications, as there was no fare-meter available in the market. Presently, there is no proper mechanism to fix the fares of the taxis. This results in overcharging by the drivers.

When contacted, President of Taxi Driver Association (TDA) Muhammad Tariq said that cab drivers were agreed to install meters but these were not available in the market. However, he put the responsibility on the shoulder of the transport authorities. If the government provides us meters at cheaper rates, we will install meters in our taxis, he assured.

Talking to ‘The News’ commuters particularly ladies have appealed to federal and provincial governments to provide meters in market. The government should fix fare according to meter and distance, they said.