RAWALPINDI: Due to rising fuel costs, transport terminal operators in the district have raised fees by Rs100-Rs300 for all routes during Eidul Fitr. Local route prices have also gone up by Rs5 to Rs10.
Residents of other cities will begin departing Rawalpindi and Islamabad on Friday [today] to spend Eid with their loved ones in their hometowns. Next Tuesday, April 9, will be the final working day before Eid. Residents in other cities will begin to leave on Friday because Saturday and Sunday are also holidays.
On the district administration’s orders, the secretary of the Regional Transport Authority convened an important joint meeting of the owners of all transport terminals and major transporters across the district today, Wednesday, April 3, to prevent overloading and overcharging in Eid transport. Efforts will be made to minimize it, but carriers have refused to lower their charges on the occasion of Eid.
Pakistan Railways will also run four special Eid trains beginning on Sunday, April 7. The reservation for all four special Eid trains has been completed. The Railway Reservation Office canceled the booking of all train seats two days before Eid, putting the load of Eid traffic on common transportation vehicles.
Passengers travelling to various destinations from Rawalpindi have expressed concern since no Eid trains are running between Rawalpindi and Islamabad this year. All inhabitants of other cities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been left to rely on bus transportation, while it has been planned to add one or more carriages to each train three days before Eid begins. Any additional coaches will not have their tickets reserved. All of these seats will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis at the station.
All 33 transit hubs, including the General Bus Stand Pirwadhai in Rawalpindi, have concluded their Eidul Fitr preparations.
According to Asif Khan, Vice President of the Transport Federation, cars would be accessible from Rawalpindi to Peshawar, Nowshehra, Bannu, Gilgit-Baltistan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Multan, Karachi, and all towns in Azad Kashmir. Ticket booking has already begun for all routes. For the convenience of travelers, the service will begin immediately following sehri and will last for 24 hours.
He stated that the increase in fares is caused not only by an increase in petroleum products, but also by the fact that all vehicles have become lakhs of rupees more expensive, the price of spare parts and tyres has increased by 500%, and transport drivers, helpers, and labor have also become more expensive. Additionally, automobile repair prices have risen. Traffic police challan penalties have also grown significantly. This year, the rise in fares for Eidul Fitr will be equal to inflation.
The higher fare table will also be officially released today, Wednesday, April 3.
The district administration has stationed police at transportation hubs from Saturday to Eid Day, April 6 to April 10, and has issued stern action orders against overloading and overcharge.
This year, the carriers have opted to charge the luggage cost separately from the passenger fare, and an eight-year-old kid will also be issued a ticket.
Maria Ghanchi