Summary sent to CM for approval of Qingqi rickshaw fares

The Sindh Transport Department has sent a summary to Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to fix the fares of registered Qingqi motorcycle-rickshaws all across the province.

The summary sent by the transport secretary has proposed that Qingqi motorcycle-rickshaws will charge Rs10 per passenger for a distance of up to six kilometres. The fare for more than six kms would be Rs15 per passenger.

The document states that the Supreme Court had issued the orders on March 29, 2017, that all provincial transport authorities should ensure only those Qingqis that are made by manufactures registered and authorised by the Transport & Mass Transit Department are allowed to operate, and that the approved rate of charges/fare for specified routes shall be displayed on Qingqi rickshaws prior to them operating on such routes.

It adds that following the order, a fare committee was constituted by the provincial government on October 19. In its meeting held on November 26, the committee recommended the proposed fares for the Qingqi rickshaw service across Sindh only for specified rickshaws from the manufacturers having registration from the provincial Excise & Taxation Department.

The registered vehicles should have route permits as their operators are also required to get their vehicles inspected from the motor vehicle inspectors of the transport department. “The provisions of sub-section (I) (b) (ii) of (iii) of Section 45 of the Motor Vehicle Ordinance-1965 empower the government to fix maximum or minimum fares for freights for stage-carriers and public carriers to be applicable throughout the province or within any area or any route within the province,” the summary added.

In a related statement, Transport Minister Syed Awais Qadir Shah said on Monday that the provincial government has been continuing its crackdown only against unregistered Qingqi rickshaws.

So far, 275 such unregistered Qingqi rickshaws have been impounded by the government and that has generated Rs2.2 million in revenue for the exchequer in the form of fines, he said. He added that such unregistered vehicles will continue to face such action in the future as well.