LAHORE: The bus terminals and railway stations in Lahore are witnessing a huge rush of passengers leaving the provincial metropolis for their native towns to celebrate Eidul Fitr.

Since Friday was the last working day ahead of Eid, a huge number of the non-native residents who work in large public and private sectors rushed to the city bus terminals near Thokar Niaz Beg, Bund Road and Badami Bagh General Bus Stand and Cantt railway stations immediately after offering the Friday prayers in a bid to board the transport for reaching their cities and towns to join their loved ones to celebrate Eid.

“I tried hard but couldn’t get tickets for Multan. Now they (the reservation clerks) are asking me to wait for the next bus since tickets for the bus ready for departure have been sold,” said a passenger while talking to Dawn at the city bus terminal near Yateem Khana.

“Let’s see, they give me a ticket for next bus or not,” he added while expressing his concerns about the situation.

Rush of people observed at bus terminals, railway stations

The similar situation was seen at bus terminals near Thokar as a lot of passengers were found making efforts to get tickets for their native towns.

“After waiting for an hour, I finally got the ticket for Chichawatni,” said a passenger while talking to this scribe.

According to an official on duty at the Lahore Railway Station, all trains departed from Lahore railway stations to Karachi and other major cities were jam-packed as the passengers got their tickets booked in advance for Eid.

“I couldn’t help even one of my close friends in this regard,” he added.

A passenger at the railway station while boarding the Karakoram Express was of the view that the people should better get seats reserved in advance, using online application to avoid inconvenience. “In fact, delaying things/matters unnecessarily and then complaining about it has become our attitude permanently,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lahore’s Divisional Superintendent (railways) Hanif Gul reached the station and reviewed facilities for passengers. He met with the passengers and sought their input on the facilities available to them. He also saw off the passengers of Karakoram Express.

On the other hand, Provincial

Transport Authority Secretary Muhammad Akbar conducted surprise visits to various bus terminals. Accompanied by various officers, he imposed fines, amounting to Rs180,000, on the transporters for overcharging passengers and vendors on account of selling substandard eatables.

RAID: In a joint operation conducted by the district administration and Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra), the team, led by Assistant Commissioner Shalimar Muhammad Saqib Tarazi, raided a substandard LPG cylinder facility.

The team carried out a thorough inspection, found clear violations in manufacturing practices and sealed the plant.

According to the Lahore DC, the campaign marked a significant step in tackling hazards posed by substandard cylinder manufacturing, particularly in industries that could endanger public safety.

“By targeting these rogue plants, the administration is not only enforcing the law but also protecting countless lives from potential risks tied to unsafe production,” said DC Musa Raza in a statement on Friday.

He added that a proactive approach had already set a high standard, with plans to expand these efforts across Lahore to root out similar violations. Meanwhile, in various operations at Shanghai Road, Shanghai Bridge, Mauza Kamahan and Main Ashiana Road, the admin teams demolished illegally built structures.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2025