For many Rawalpindi and Islamabad commuters who are already unhappy over the pitiable maintenance of public transport like wagons, Suzukis and their irregular schedule, the price hike has come as the final straw.
“While the public transport owners claim the ticket fare hike was a pending issue for long, I say the sudden, unannounced hike will force us to pay through the nose,” says Tabish Naqvi from Koraal.
“Given the poor condition of the public transport like wagons, Suzukis etc. the hike in fare is unwarranted as the drivers can’t show the official hiked fare list on demand,” says Amjad Hussain from Faisal Colony.
Commuters always question the deficiencies in the public transport being run here i.e. poor upkeep, leaking windows during rain, cramped and broken seats, and, above all, deceptive conductors who harass the commuters by not returning change.
“The hike in the price of petrol cannot automatically result in the hike in fare of public transport unless the transport drivers show the officially stamped rate list,” says Ashraf Ali from Shaheen Town.
“The undesirable hike in fare seems to have provoked anger among people across the city. Before the official announcement of hike in fare, it is shocking for us, the commuters, to pay more on demand of the conductors,” says Raana Hasan from Gangaal Town.
“In several parts of the city, the commuters may take to the streets in protest, if the city fathers remain silent over the issue. The city residents especially the office-goers, students and the deprived section of the commuters can organize a road block, carry out a demonstration forcing the concerned department to revise and take back the price hike,” warns Sarmad Abbas from Fazayia Colony.
Nazish Fatima from Gulzar-e-Quaid says: “Today, there were scenes of passengers aboard the public transport i.e. wagon arguing with the crew i.e. the driver and the conductor when they were asked to pay the difference.”
Qaim Ali, who travels to Islamabad from Saddar regularly, says: “Being a daily wage earner working as construction labor, I earn Rs250 rupees a day and have to spend Rs100 on public transport fare every day, which means spending bigger slice of my earnings on travel.
You can understand the severe financial hardship I am going through as I depend on the public transport to commute to my distant workplace.”
Reza Haider, a resident of Mangraal Town says: “The hike is bound to cause severe hardship to a person like me as I have to change four times the wagon to reach my far-off office located in Sector E-11. In several routes, the fare has been increased by 100%.”
“I refer to the 21 number wagon route operated from Saddar to Secretariat where the travel rate before the hike was Rs15 for TNT Stop, now they charge Rs20. From there I go to PIMS stop by 136 number wagon for which I have to pay Rs15. Then from PIMS Mor I board 120 number wagon officially a Golra route wagon, but they drop the passengers at Karachi Company Stop. It is because most of the wagons plying between Rawalpindi and Islamabad do not complete the route as they want take new passengers to make more money,” adds Reza.
Shabbir Hasan, a social activist from Fazal Town Phase-II points out: “The hike is bound to put more pressure on the commuters, which have wagons and Suzukis the only transport facility operated for their destinations.”
