Tag: bus

  • Excess fare collected refunded to riders in historic first

    Excess fare collected refunded to riders in historic first

    The administration Chief Minister of Punjab Maryam Nawaz conducted a grand operation across the province to reduce transport fares, and reportedly, for the first time in Punjab, excess charges were returned to the passengers.

    According to the spokesman of the Punjab government, a total amount of 1,467,921 rupees was returned to the riders.

    A fine of 27,08,405 rupees was imposed on the transporters who charged more than the official rate. On the day before the grand operation, rates for 3,220 vehicles, passenger tickets, and number of rides were checked.

    1,448 vehicles were also fined for violation, while 354 vehicles were halted, while nine cases were registered against those who collected rent in excess of the prescribed rate.

  • 15 dead, 60 injured in bus accident near Kallar Kahar

    At least 15 people including women and children have died and over 60 were injured after a bus overturned on M2 near Kallar Kahar late on Saturday night.
    The bus was carrying wedding guests on its way to Rawalpindi. The brakes of the vehicle failed near Kallar Kahar, where the bus broke through road barriers and plowed into cars traveling on the other side of the road before overturning.
    Shortly thereafter, rescue and police personnel reached the spot and shifted the injured and the dead to a hospital. The death toll may rise as many of the injured are in critical condition.
    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief on the accident and ordered that the injured should be provided all possible relief.

  • Islamabad to soon get electric buses

    Islamabad to soon get electric buses

    Electric buses for intra-city travel will shortly be introduced by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). Electric buses will be used on six distinct public transportation lines, according to CDA authorities. The department will also make room for bus charging stations.

    CDA will open the tender for bus consultancy on 12th October. By the end of December, the first shipment of electric buses will arrive in Islamabad. Three e-bus base stations will be built by CDA.

    The introduction of electric buses has been a recent priority for CDA. The government started testing these buses in the Twin Cities, and now the project might soon see a concrete follow-up.

    Capt. (Ret.) Usman Younis, CDA Chairman, said that the first phase will involve the provision of transportation on six congested roads. The administration would purchase buses for seven more routes in the second phase, he added.

  • Number of railway passengers increases after hike in bus fares

    Number of railway passengers increases after hike in bus fares

    The number of train passengers has enhanced as the cost of travelling by bus or private vehicle has elevated owing to skyrocketing fuel costs.

    Despite a slight increase in railway fares, a spokesperson for Pakistan Railways said that there was no comparison between train fares and bus or other forms of road transportation.

    According to AFP, Pakistan Railways had to jack up ticket prices by 10 per cent on some trains, but train travel was still affordable and convenient.

    On the other hand, due to an increase in petroleum prices throughout the country, bus fares have soared in the last month.

    Sardar Nasir, a passenger at the Lahore railway station, told this scribe that taking a bus with his family was too expensive, so he decided to take the train to Rawalpindi instead.

    Another passenger on the Allama Iqbal Express train to Bahawalpur with her family, explained that the pricing for Bahawalpur by bus was nearly doubled, so she chose to commute by train.

    The booking receptionist at the Faisalabad train station validated that train ticket sales had surged following the increase in petroleum product prices.

  • City Traffic Police Lahore to check overcharging, overloading by transporters on Eid

    City Traffic Police Lahore to check overcharging, overloading by transporters on Eid

    The Lahore Traffic Police have declared a crackdown on transport company owners who overcharge and overload passengers during the Eid holidays.

    According to Lahore’s Chief Traffic Officer (CTO), Muntazir Mehdi, thousands of people depart for their hometowns to celebrate Eid with their loved ones. It’s terrible that dishonest transportation owners take advantage of them, he says. Mehdi stated that police had developed a thorough plan to combat exploitation this year. He announced the deployment of at least 84 wardens at Lorry Adda, Badamibagh, Babu Sabu, Niazi Chowk, Thokar Niaz Beg, Shahdara Chowk, Begum Kot Chowk, Gajjumatta, and other key bus stations.

    The traffic police have also issued orders to transportation companies to display fare information prominently on their vehicles. Those who charge high rates to commuters deserve no concessions, according to the CTO, who directed all circle officers to speak with transporter owners in their respective zones. He announced the impoundment of vehicles found overcharging or overloading.

    Police is taking precautions against overcrowding to ensure safe travelling, according to Mehdi, who also stated that additional police officers have been stationed at the city’s entry and exit points. He asked people to phone Police Helpline 15 if they needed assistance or had a complaint. He also stated that people who overload their buses will face consequences.

    Read more: Shopkeepers fined in Islamabad for not adhering to DC rates

    The CTO stated that transportation owners and drivers are required to charge a fixed rate and display a fare list prominently on the vehicle. According to Mehdi, automobiles should be seized if their owners are proven to be overcharging and overloading. Traffic teams have been dispatched to ten locations to investigate overcharging and overloading.