Public transporters warned against overcharging

BOONI: Public transporters in district of Upper Chitral have been warned against overcharging after the massive cuts in prices of petroleum products.

They were told by the district administration and police to pass on the benefit of the recent cuts in petroleum prices to the masses.

In this regard, police and administration officials set up pickets in different areas and checked the fares charged by the drivers.

The officials returned the extra fares received by the drivers to the passengers on the spot.

The public transporters were warned that strict action would be taken if they overcharged the passengers and violated the official fares in the wake of the reduction in prices of diesel and petrol.

The federal government on Thursday reduced the prices of high-speed diesel and petrol by Rs 27.15 and Rs15 per litre respectively for May.  Earlier, the prices of high speed diesel was reduced by Rs27.15 per litre to Rs80.10  for May.

Public transport vehicles always disregard the official fares and fleece the passengers on one pretext or the other,e specially in remote areas.

Whenever, the government increases the prices of POL products the transporters increase the fares on their own. But when the POL prices are lowered, they remain hesitant to cut the fares till action is launched by the police.

Public circles told ChitralToday that the administration and the police should continue the drive and keep a check on the drivers.