F.P. Report
ISLAMABAD: As Eid ul Fitr approaching near, non-availability of tickets, overcharging and overcrowding have created many a problems for commuters traveling to their hometowns.
Three major bus terminals of twin cities including Faizabad, Pirwadhai and Karachi Company were thronged with the outsiders who started leaving the city to celebrate the festivity of Eid ul Fitr with their loved ones at native places.
But, their zeal to reach home started suffering in the hands of the transporters when they faced the worse situation of unavailability of vehicles and waited for hours to board, on the basis of “first come first served” condition.
The people from all across the country and different parts of life were residing in the federal capital for the purpose of work and business. Most of them travel to their home-towns to celebrate Eid with their loved ones.
Thousands of people enjoying the facility of their own transport manage easily to move from the city. But, majority of people from working class, laborers and students have to depend on the public transport, and every time they have to suffer from the same problems.
Meanwhile, outnumbered vehicles daily leave the city taking passengers to their destinations, however, on every Eid ul Fitr they fail in facilitating them.
Asad Abbas Shah, a transport manager at private bus terminal talking to APP said the administration here has put every bus on road because of the rush but it is not possible to take everyone.
“People should leave early on Eid days to avoid ticketing problem,” he said.
Purchasing ticket before Eid has also become a frustrating task for people as mostly seats were found booked almost a week before the Eid ul Fitr in the buses of companies providing better traveling services to the commuters.
The term “seat on chance” becomes most repeated sentence if the counter is reached for ticket without advance booking.
According to Asad Shah, those who get seat on chance were the lucky people in these days.
But every commuter could not afford the luxuries of bus services being operated by the big companies and they have to rely on average and below average transport to save money.
“Travelling on these vans is the worst experience but I have no other option and have to reach home also, as I want to celebrate this Eid ul Fitr with my family,” said Madni a labour-men working in Federal Capital Islamabad.
Meanwhile, Sheraz Ahmed, a driver by profession said that they were not earning extra profit and exploiting commuters on the occasion of Eid ul Fitr.
“Eid ul Fitr doesn’t come for commuters only, we also have to celebrate it by feeding our families and sometimes traffic officials also demand bribery in the name of `Eidi’ from drivers in these days,” he said.
Some commuters also complained that the vehicle owners were not only extra charging in the fare but they were also taking hundreds of rupees for the luggage.
Tanvir Abbas, a student who was going to Bahawalpur on Eid ul Fitr, said that he purchased the ticket by paying Rs 100 extra to the helper of the bus, and he also took Rs 200 more for placing his luggage in the trunk.
“There is no specific rate here, every customer was being charged extra, the one who agrees on their terms gets seat; otherwise they have to stand and wait for hours here,” he said.
Answering a query regarding commuters issues Secretary Islamabad Transport Authority (ITA) Bushra Iqbal Rao said she was paying regular visits to different bus stands and heavy fines were also being imposed against violating security mechanism and unavailability of other safety measures for commuters.
She strictly warned transporters to place fare list and adhere to the timings adding that she asked to the bus stand owners to improve the conditions for passengers sitting areas.
