The Government of Punjab has taken strict notice of unauthorised hikes in public transport fares and directed deputy commissioners, along with Regional Transport Authorities, to ensure enforcement of officially approved fare structures across the province.
Understanding Reached Between Transport Department and Transporters
Authorities said an understanding has been reached between the transport department and transporters to avoid any increase in fares despite recent changes in fuel prices. Several transport operators have also agreed to continue charging existing rates, while affidavits have been collected from transporters as a guarantee against fare increases.
Written Commitments from Private Transport Companies
Rana Mohsin stated that multiple private transport companies have submitted written commitments confirming they will not revise fares. He warned that strict legal action would be taken against operators involved in arbitrary fare hikes. He added that monitoring and raiding teams have been deployed at bus terminals to check violations and ensure compliance with government instructions.
Earlier, transporters had increased fares by Rs100 to Rs450 on various intercity routes following the rise in petroleum prices. Under the revised rates introduced by transporters, fares from Lahore to Rawalpindi rose from Rs3,630 to Rs3,800, while the fare to Peshawar increased from Rs4,240 to Rs4,460. The Lahore to Sargodha fare climbed from Rs1,730 to Rs1,810.
Similarly, fares from Lahore to Faisalabad increased from Rs1,580 to Rs1,655, Lahore to Multan from Rs2,890 to Rs3,050, and Lahore to Bahawalpur from Rs3,630 to Rs3,800. The fare for Ahmadpur rose from Rs3,710 to Rs3,890. Meanwhile, ticket prices from Lahore to Swat increased from Rs4,480 to Rs4,700, while fares for Karachi went up from Rs9,720 to Rs10,170.
