Sindh govt notifies Qingqi rickshaw fares

The Sindh government has finally notified the fares for travelling in Qingqi rickshaws in the province in accordance with the directives of the apex judiciary in this regard.

The notification, dated March 1, 2019, was issued by the Sindh transport secretary. According to the notification, to comply with the Supreme Court (SC) orders, the provincial government had announced fixed fares with immediate effect for the Qingqi rickshaws under powers which it had through the Provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965.

After the notification, the fare for travelling in the Qingqi rickshaws will be Rs10 per passenger for a distance of up to six kilometres, whereas, for a distance above six kilometres, the fare will be Rs15 per passenger.

The notification also includes some required specifications for the Qingqi rickshaws.

The Qingqi rickshaws should have a valid fitness certificate from the Motor Vehicle Examination Centre of the Sindh transport and mass transit department, which should be displayed prominently on the body of the vehicle, in compliance with an order of the apex court.

The vehicles are also supposed to have a valid registration number plate issued by the Motor Vehicle Registration Wing of the excise and taxation department, which should also be displayed properly in compliance with the SC order.

The Qingqi rickshaws should also have a valid route permit issued by the regional authority of the transport and mass transit department, which will specify the routes on which the vehicles will ply on.

The seating capacity of any Qingqi rickshaw should not be more than four passengers, excluding the driver, in compliance with the SC directives.

The government has also directed the drivers of Qingqi rickshaws to have valid driving licences issued by the relevant authority.

The drivers have also been warned that any violation of the aforesaid conditions will be proceeded under the relevant criminal rules and administrative directives as per the judicial orders.

Action ordered

The Sindh government has directed the police authorities and district administrations in the province to take action against illegal practices in the supply and sale of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the province as per directives of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra).

A circular was issued by the Sindh transport secretary in this regard, the subject of which was “Authorisation of the provincial governments under Section 29 of Ogra Ordinance 2002 regarding illegal LPG activities”. The circular was sent to the inspector general of Sindh police, all the divisional commissioners in the province, additional inspector general of traffic police, deputy commissioners and others.

The document identified various illegal activities regarding the supply and sale of LPG, which included the decanting of LPG (filling of LPG from one cylinder to another cylinder) by any person including the authorised dealers of LPG marketing companies.

Another illegal practice was the manufacturing and sale of LPG equipment and cylinders by entities other than the Ogra’s pre-qualified authorised manufacturers of LPG equipment.

The filling of LPG in the LPG cylinders and tanks installed on motorcycles, scooters, and public service vehicles such as three wheelers, buses, coaches, and wagons, is also illegal as per the document.

The circular also directed the authorities to take action against the overpricing of LPG against Ogra’s notified prices and sale of LGP by unauthorized dealers and decanters.

The circular further reads that earlier the district authorities of only Punjab government had been authorised by Ogra to take action against such illegal activities; however, since such practices had spread throughout the country, the authority had decided to authorise all the provincial governments to take cognisance of them in the larger public interest.