ISLAMABAD, Oct 29: Public transport fares continued to remain high despite a reduction in the rates of compressed natural gas (CNG).

Residents of the city have appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of the fares and instruct district administrations to take necessary action.

It is worth mentioning here that on October 25, the Supreme Court ordered the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) to reduce prices of CNG by Rs30 per kg and de-link it with any increase in petroleum rates. It also directed the authority to nullify the operating cost per kg of CNG stations. The same day, Ogra issued a notification in this regard. But the notification has had no trickle down effect on the public transport.

Salahuddin Khan, a transporter, sums up the situation quite well. According to him in the month of April 2012, maximum fare of public transport was Rs25 in the city and minimum fare (stop-to-stop) was Rs12 but from May 22 onwards, transporters increased the fares. And now it’s totally out of control.

“Fare for Saddar to Faizabad is Rs31 and from Faizabad to Pak Secretariat each passenger has to pay Rs31, which earlier used to be Rs20.

On route number 21, from Soan Depot to Secretariat Islamabad, public transporters charge Rs41 per passenger. Even if a passenger has to travel just a few hundred yards, he still has to pay Rs16, which used to be Rs12,” he complained.

“In June and July price of petrol was reduced by Rs16 but transporters did not bother to do the same with the fares.

On July 6 a notification regarding reduction of fares was issued by Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration, and it was announced that CNG transport fares had been reduced by Rs3 to Rs4 and diesel transport fares by Re1 to Rs2 but could not be implemented,” he said.

Abdul Shakoor, a resident of G-6, said: “We are thankful to the chief justice of Pakistan who had taken notice and prices of CNG have been reduced but it seems the district administration is not willing to reduce transport fares.”

Malik Amjad, who travels from Khyber Plaza to Karachi Company in public transport, said that it was unfortunate that relief could not be transferred to the people, even if the government wants to solve their problems.

Sohaib Ahmed said that he travels on route number 101 from CDA stop sector I-10 to PIA stop, near Aabpara.

“In the month of May, I used to pay Rs20 and now transporters charge Rs31 for the same distance,” he said.

Dilawar Khan who had come to Rawal Dam along with his family, while talking to Dawn, said that although price of CNG had decreased, the cab drivers had not reduced the fares. Moreover, they demand extra tip because it’s Eid.

Media coordinator of ICT administration Khalid Mehmood said that notification regarding reduction of public transport fares could not be issued because of Eid holidays. From Tuesday (today) office of the deputy commissioner would open and a notification would be issued as soon as possible, he added.

Rawalpindi-Islamabad Transport Union President Malik Muhammad Sultan told Dawn that intercity fares would be reduced in the current week but as far as local transport fares were concerned, they could only be reduced after issuance of a notification.

“I have talked to representatives of CNG association. They had concerns over the price of CNG because it was expected that the price would increase by Rs6 to 7, so notification regarding fares would be issued after a final decision is made on CNG prices,” he said.