The people leaving for their hometowns for Eid have to suffer anguish as the transporters demand self-increased fares for inter-city travelling. This scribe witnessed transporters fleecing the passengers who were being charged more than twice the usual fare.
The inter-city buses and vans were charging extraordinary high fares as the passengers want to reach their hometowns at the earliest to avoid last moment rush hours.
This situation often results into exchange of hot words as commuters are not ready to give in to overcharging spree by the transporters. These scenes can be seen at Lahore General Bus Stand Badami Bagh, Railway Station and some other private bus stand of provincial capital.
Some passengers standing at Lahore General Bus Stand said that such a fleec-ing practice ahead of Eid days and other special occasions was a highly unaccept-able.
Transporters cram passengers inside their vehicles which is very harmful for us and some times. children and women feel suffocated during the journey, they added.
Naseer, Shahid, Awais and some other commuters demanded that the concerned authorities should take strict action against the violators for overcharging as well as overloading during the last week ahead of Eid.
Muhammad Alam, bus stand manager, conceded that people have to face im-mense problems due to heavy rush before Eid holidays and added that transporters exploit the commuters by charging higher fares.
There is shortage of transport during Eid days due to which drivers and conductors of public service vehicles de-manded higher fares, he added.
He said that government should take strict action against these elements so that the people get some relief.
Some commuters de-manded that concerned department should constitute special task teams to check overcharging during Eid holidays.
