Punjab Ombudsman Javed Mahmood took notice of the overloading and overcharging by bus and wagon owners from the passengers travelling to their hometowns to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr.
In a letter to the local government secretary, traffic police additional inspector and regional and district transport authority coordination officers, Mahmood ordered to proceed as per law against all those involved in overcharging and overloading. He said that the adda owners of both government bus stands and private bus and wagon stands were overloading their vehicles in such a manner that the passengers had to sit on the vehicle rooftops, which was illegal and extremely risky.
He said that the district administration, traffic police, regional transport authority, Provincial Transport Authority Chairman and adda administrators concerned had all closed their eyes to this broad violation of rules.
Similarly, the public had to pay more for travelling back after Eid-ul-Fitr, he said, adding that adda authorities were also charging “Jaggas” from passengers and bus and wagon owners.
He ordered all authorities concerned to make arrangements to prevent overloading and overcharging. He directed them to take steps to facilitate the public in travelling to their home towns and back without any inconvenience.
Mahmood asked the citizens to write to him if they observed the violation of such rules during travel before and after Eid so that a comprehensive policy could be made for redressing their complaints.