GUJRANWALA, July 15: The regional transport authority (RTA) on Thursday allowed the franchized bus owners to enhance the fare and issued the list to this effect. The franchized buses plying between Kamoki and Ghakkhar were reportedly charging Re1 less per stop than that of the transport society Gujranwala (TSG) wagons.

But since the buses started the service on the GT Road, the RTA cancelled the route permits of wagons, giving monopoly to the buses. The bus owners enhanced the fare to the tune of Re1 per stop 'in connivance with' the RTA secretary and displayed the list at their buses to avert any reaction by commuters.

However, the commuter protested the raise and demanded an inquiry against bus owners and the RTA secretary. They alleged that the franchized bus drivers and conductors were misbehaving with passengers and involved in overloading.

When contacted, the RTA secretary said the wagons had been wound up in accordance with the government policy while the fares were fixed under an agreement reached between the district administration and the transporters. He said the CNG buses would provide better facilities to passengers on this route.

DIES: One of the two scrap dealers injured by robbers on resistance here on Wednesday near the Judicial Colony, died at the DHQ hospital on Thursday. Muhammad Afzal and Muhammad Ashraf were on their way by their car after withdrawing a cash of Rs400,000 from a bank branch when the bandits opened fire on them on offering resistance. Both were rushed to the DHQ hospital. Later, Muhammad Afzal succumbed to injuries.

SMUGGLED CLOTH: A customs intelligence team here on Thursday seized smuggled cloth. On a tip-off, the officials set up a picket near Eminabad Morr on the GT Road and stopped a truck (DMO-1092). The raiding team recovered smuggled cloth worth Rs3 million from the hidden parts of the vehicle and arrested driver Gul Khan and conductor Badsha Gul.

BOOKED: A UC Nazim and his four men were booked by Alipur Chattha police here on Thursday on the charge of kidnapping a farmer, Riaz Ahmad, over an agricultural land dispute.