Bus stands have started to become overcrowded since last Friday, as more and more people start to leave the city to head home for Eid-ul-Azha.
Public transporters are taking full advantage of the situation and continuously charging extra fares from desperate passengers trying to head home as fast as possible.
Every year transporters charge extra fares around Eid time, while the concerned authorities have turned a blind eye towards the issue.
Besides long route vans and buses, local transporters also charge extra from residents who want to visit their relatives in different parts of the city or plan to go to public parts or other recreational places to celebrate Eid.
On the other hand, people complained of the higher rates saying that they are already over burdened with extra expenditure on Eid and these transporters high demands are not justified.
Faisal Chaudhary an employee of a private company said, “We do not get any extra money on Eid from our offices but these transporters charge extra fares to earn more money.”
He said that everywhere around the world special discount packages are announced on festivals but in Pakistan businessmen charge extra on just about everything, and swindle the common man.
On Eid, these transport fares force people to stay at homes rather than have fun with other relatives, he said.
Another traveller Haji Luqman said that transporters are charging extra fares as they knew that people cannot avoid paying the fares, and openly claim the hike as an Eidi for their services. He said authorities should take proper steps to stop this blackmailing by `transport mafia’.
Mumtaz Ahmad a van driver sharing his views said, “I send my all family members to our hometown and spend Eid here alone just to provide transport to local residents of the city”.
He further said, “I convinced my family that I will bring new clothes for all of them and spend lot of time with them after Eid,” adding, “It will only be possible if I raise the fare by Rs 10 to Rs 20 for each passenger, which is not a big amount for them but collectively I get a handsome amount.”