ISLAMABAD – Taking advantage of heavy crowds of Eid passengers in Islamabad bus terminals, the transporters community have illegally increased fares and charging double, as people moved towards their villages and hometowns for celebrating Eid with their families and loved ones.
Thousands of Working people and students seeking education and earning in Islamabad city have also packed up the luggage on Thursday to leave for their respective hometowns to celebrate Eid festival, but the inflated fares and overcharging on all inter-city routes which is widespread is already spoiling their Eid plans.
Talking to a private news channel, passengers belonging to different walks of life said that as per routine they were facing difficulties in approaching their native towns this Eid as well.
Rashid Naeem, going to Lahore said he always preferred to travel home with his family. He complained that private transporters overcharge and misbehave with people on Eid and other festivals. He has appreciated railway management to boost up its standard.
A passenger Ikram Ullah said transporters, in connivance with the authorities, were taking full advantage of the occasion of Eid by demanding and charging extra money.
The transporters charge hundreds of rupees extra when we argue about overcharging, they misbehave, said a female passenger Jeveria Ali.
“Like others, I arrived in the morning to try my luck at getting a ticket, and I bought the ticket for an extra Rs100,” said another commuter Asad Ubaid.
“We had to pay an extra Rs600 to book seats for a family of six on a bus to Sialkot. The transporter said the payment was Eidi, not a bribe or extra fare,” Ahmad Ali said at the Faizabad bus terminal.
A Banker Faisal Hayat, who was going to Wazirabad said that they were happy for going to their native homes but transporters were looting them with both hands on this special occasion.
According to the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP), they continued its campaign against overcharging and overloading after complaints regarding inter-city public transporters before Eid.
