The local transporters are not completing their designated routes by giving the argument that compressed natural gas (CNG) stations are closed down in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi for weekly gas holidays and they cannot afford the prices of petrol.
The commuters who travel daily between the twin cities had been facing problems due to non-compliance of route number 1, 1C, 3, 111, 121, 24, 21 and 127 by the public transporters.
The commuters complained that the transporters violated routes to extract extra money from the passengers, thus forcing them to pay double the fare for an incomplete journey.
Muhammad Amjad, a commuter said that due to route violation of the transporters he had to change two vans and pay double fare for the same route while coming from or going back to Rawalpindi.
He said there should be an effective mechanism to ensure route completion, and grievances of the commuters should be addressed by the authorities concerned.
The commuters also said that the authorities concerned should take stern action against the transporters involved in route violations.
“I got on a wagon of route number 1 from 6th road. After boarding the vehicle, the conductor told me that they would only go up to Faidazabad as they were running on petrol due to gas holidays,” Ramzan Hafeez, a commuter at Faizabad bus stop complained. However, the same vehicle departed for Islamabad after charging double fare from the passengers, he alleged.
When contacted for their views, the transporters said that due to weekly CNG holidays, it was difficult for them to operate on petrol all day long. An official of the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) said that a help-line had been established to address the grievances of the commuters. He said that commuters could register their complaints with the department in case of route violation or overcharging by the transporters.
He said that the commuters could also complain to the on duty traffic wardens stationed at various points on the main city routes.
