Whether or not the local
transporters agree to bring down the annoyingly varying bus
fares to a uniform minimum level, the district administration
has called a general meeting today of transporters who will
review the latest situation after the government has announced a
further reduction of Rs9 and Rs5 in the per litre price of
petrol and diesel respectively. On all past occasions, whenever
the bus fares went up due to any rise in the price of petrol or
diesel, they did not come down despite the usual hue and cry
raised by the daily commuters. This time the situation has been
qualitatively different. The rise in the fuel prices was
unprecedented. However, when the price of crude oil in the
international market came down, the federal government also
decided to give piecemeal relief to the travelling public.
However, those with vested interests did not see eye to eye with
the government. For instance, owners of petrol stations felt
reluctant in cooperating with the administration. Instead of
selling diesel at reduced prices, they preferred to close down
their filling stations and go home.
The situation at the moment is
that bus conductors have been charging different fares from
travellers on the same route. The drivers do not bother to
display the rate lists prominently in front of the passengers.
The practice has created ugly scenes on bus stops and often led
to roadside brawls among travellers and transporters. We hope
that while determining new bus fares in today's meeting, the
District Coordination Officer (DCO) Sahibzada Mohammad Anees
will take care of the interests of the general public and not
give a free hand to the more vocal and assertive representatives
of transporters.
