With the advent of winter season, a large number of vendors have set up their stalls of rented blankets, pillows and traditional beds (Charpoy) at temporary residential points near general bus stand, truck stands and other areas of the city.
The transporters and passengers were the main customers of these temporary residential points where they used to spend night by getting these rented items on cheaper rates.
The transporters from Balochistan, Karachi, Lahore and other cities prefer to stay at these points instead of hotels and rented rooms with high cost.
A stall owner near general bus stand Bahawalpur bypass, Saleem Nawaz told this news agency that he had been running the business from last many years and earning handsome amount in every winter season.
He said that he offered one traditional bed (Charpoy) at Rs 50 per night, charge Rs 50 for blanket and Rs 20 for a pillow per night from each person.
He said that transporters were main customers as they get accommodation on cheaper rates.
He said that before start of the business in the winter season, he get all the blankets and other items cleaned for use every year. Muhammad Mukhtar, another stall owner near Vehari Chowk bypass said that about 80 transporters stayed at his point on daily basis during the winter season.
He said that he charged Rs 150 per person for each night because they were also customers of his small hotel from where they used to purchase food for dinner and breakfast.
A transporter Saeed Ali said that he used to drive loaded long vehicle about 10 to 12 hours daily and prefer these points for rest.
He said that pick pocketing and swindlers were the only problem at these places as most of the people had been deprived of cash, valuables and documents by these criminals in the past.
He said that these points were outside the city areas where the loaded vehicles can be parked easily, while, cheap rates of accommodation was also a major element of staying there.
However, these points were also a security threat due to improper checking, absence of security arrangements and verification of the accommodated people.
The staff owners had never asked about identity card and not maintained proper record of the customers before allowing them to stay at these residential points.
The police department must provide special focus on the issue in order to prevent any untoward incident.
On the other hand, the customers have also complained poor cleanliness arrangements and dusty bed sheets, pillow covers and blanket covers.—APP
