LAHORE - Unbridled transporters are defiant in reducing the fares on inter-city and intra-city routes despite clear direction of the government following recent decrease in fuel price.
On Tuesday, the Punjab Transport Department and Lahore Transport Company had announced cuts in transport fares but the ground situation is totally different and commuters are being charged the old fare.
Since yesterday, the transport companies like Albayrak and Daewoo continued charging millions of commuters with same old fare at city routes, violating the LTC notification.
According to the Tuesday’s notification, the minimum fare at first stage (0 to 4 km) of non-AC diesel buses/mini buses would be Rs9 and up to sixth stage (30.1 and above km) Rs28 will be charged from passengers. Whereas at intra city wagons/ mini buses plying on petrol the minimum fare at first stage (0 to 4 km) would be Rs11 and up to sixth stage (30.1 km and above) Rs26 will be charged from commuters.
The intra city overall reduction in public transport fares is six percent on non-AC diesel run buses while 11 to 12 percent reduction is made on petrol run wagons/mini buses. However, the powerful foreign companies charged old fare from commuters.
A passenger told The Nation that he travelled from Muslim Town to Gangaram Hospital and was charged Rs25 by the Albayrak Bus staff.
Daewoo is charging Rs20 from commuters at same destination. The maximum fare from Model Town to Railways Station is unchanged at is Rs35 at Albayrak and Rs30 at Daewoo Bus from Kalma Chowk to Railways Station. Similarly, the minimum and maximum fare at mini vans is Rs15 and Rs35 respectively.
On the other side, the fare is unchanged at inter-city routes. The old fare Rs220 from Niazi Bus Service and Rehbar Bus Service is being charged from passengers between Lahore and Faisalabad while the Nadir Transport Company, Daewoo, Bilal Daewoo are charging more than Rs400 from passengers between the same destination.
There is no reduction in fare at other routes from Lahore to South, Centre and North Punjab destinations.
“I travel between Lahore and Khanewal, and get bus from Thoker Niaz Beg bypass. Usually I pay Rs600, sometimes Rs 500 or even Rs 450. It depends on the situation (rush of passengers) and my negotiation with the bus staff. Fuel price does not matter for transporters especially when it comes down. But yes they (transporters) introduce immediate increase in fare when the fuel price goes up,” said Shufqat Teja, a restaurant worker.
He said that a passenger, who takes a bus (AC/non-AC) from Thokar Niaz Beg bypass for Okara or Sahiwal or Mian Channu or Khanewal to downward destinations, pays Rs 200, Rs 250, Rs 400 and Rs 500. “This fare persists for more than three years despite more than 40 per cent reduction in fuel price during this period,” he added.
The Lahore Transport Company on Tuesday announced reduction in fare at intra-city routes following decrease in fuel prices.
According to the notification issued by the LTC, the minimum fare at first stage (0 to 4 km) of non-AC diesel buses/ mini buses would be Rs9 and up to sixth stage (30.1 and above km) Rs28 will be charged from passengers.
Whereas at intra city wagons/ mini buses plying on petrol the minimum fare at first stage (0 to 4 km) would be Rs11 and up to sixth stage (30.1 km and above) Rs26 will be charged from commuters. The intra city overall reduction in public transport fares is six percent on non–AC diesel run buses while 11 to 12 percent reduction is made on petrol run wagons/mini buses.
The LTC’s enforcement department will proceed against those public service vehicles if found in overcharging of transport fare. People can register their complaints of overcharging of public transport fare on the LTC helpline number (042-111-582-111) as well as on mobile complaint number (0331-4440-582). The recent curtailment in transport fares will give relief to the people and LTC will carry on its mission to provide efficient and safe transport facilities to the general public, said the company spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the shortage of petrol hit the city’s filling stations throughout the day. Petrol was not available around 50 per cent filling stations. The motorists found great difficulty and rushed from one place to another to get fuel for their vehicles. Long queues of motorcycles and cars were seen at the filling stations where petrol was available. The owners of some filling stations sold fuel at old rates taking benefit of the situation.
Petroleum Dealers Association said the some filling stations faced shortage due to panic buying from motorists however the situation would turn normal till today.