Transporters in twin cities likely to increase fares by five percent

In the wake of POL product price hike, transporters in the twin cities of Rawalpindi/Islamabad are likely to increase fares by 5 percent whereas fares on inter-city transport plying on different routes have risen by 10 percent. A meeting of the Chief Commissioner Islamabad and Wagon Owners and Driver Association (WODA) will be held on Tuesday (today).
Another meeting of the Mutahida Transport Association Islamabad/Rawalpindi (MTA) with District Commissioner Officer (DCO) Rawalpindi will be held soon to discuss the issue of fare increase with the government having raised prices of POL products in the vicinity of 9 percent, said leaders of different transport associations while talking to Business Recorder here on Monday.
Leaders of these associations strongly criticised the increment in POL prices and said that it would not only affect the transporters but also add to the suffering of the general public. They urged the government to take back increase in POL prices immediately otherwise they would raise fares by 5 percent, ie Rs 2 stop-to-stop. However, commuters would be charged old fares until and unless government issues a notification in this regard.
The government on Friday raised price of petrol by Rs 6.71 per litre, HOBC by Rs 7.69 per liter, kerosene oil by Rs 4.04 per liter, High Speed Diesel (HSD) by Rs 4.25 per liter and LDO by Rs 4.36 per liter. Sultan Awan general secretary (MTA) said that after recent increase in oil prices increase in fares by at least Rs 2 stop-to-stop is inevitable. He said that the meeting with the local authorities would be held soon in which the MTA would convince them to allow at least Rs 2 per stop increase.
Replying to a question, he said that due to three days a week gas load shedding transporters would be left with no option but to use POL products instead of CNG, therefore, government should allow them to raise fares. Haji Nawab president WODA said that government has increased POL prices by Rs 11 per litre during last few months therefore increase in fares is inevitable.
He further said that transporters on long routes have already increased fares by 10 percent hence twin cities transporters must also be allowed to revise their fares upward. Meanwhile, scuffles among passengers and inter-city transporters were witnessed, when the passengers demanded fare list approved by the government. However, there was no fare list with the transporters.
While criticising the government for increasing in POL products' prices, commuters maintained that the increase would affect the general public and urged the authorities to take back the decision. They said that over-charging by the transporters was immediate and lamented the fact that when prices are revised downward fares are not decreased. Talking to this correspondent, a number of bus drivers and conductors said that they could not ply the roads on the old fares after the price of petrol and diesel was raised by the government. They were of the view that it would financially burden the transporters.