Hit in pocket by fuel cost, people in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi start shunning their cars.

LAHORE -- As the recent massive hikes in fuel prices have adversely hit the routine life of the middle and lower-middle class, over 100,000 people, who were earlier commuting in their own cars on various intra-city routes have switched to the metro trains, the metrobuses and the feeder bus services in Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi.

Since the number of such passengers switched to other private or public sector intra-city bus/van services is separate, those using their own transport for travelling out of the cities like Lahore have also switched to inter-city bus services while those already using such transport facilities frequently have reduced their travelling due to massive increase in the fares, Dawn has learnt.

'While observing the passengers ratio, we have found an addition of around 75,000 passengers daily into our intra-city transport systems - Orange Line Metro Train (Ali Town-Dera Gujran), metrobus (Shahdara-Gajjumata) and the Speedo buses plying on feeder routes in Lahore. Similarly, around 20,000 passengers have also switched to the metrobus system in Rawalpindi,' a senior official of the Punjab Masstransit Authority (PMA) says while speaking to Dawn.

'Over 100,000 people in three big cities of Punjab switch to public transport'

'An increase of around 7,000 passengers has also been witnessed in Multan's metrobus system,' he says, showing that people are shifting fast to public transport in Multan too from personal vehicles.

It may be mentioned that the Punjab Masstransit Authority has already reached a consensus to introduce distance-based fares instead of a flat one (subsidised fare of Rs40) for those travelling in the Orange Line Metro Train in Lahore. The authority, during the PTI government's tenure, had worked out a plan, keeping in view the increasing electricity cost. The new government (of the PML-N) has asked the masstransit authority to finalise the earlier proposal.

'We have sent a summary to the Punjab Cabinet and sought its approval for introducing a distance-based fare instead of the flat Rs40 per passenger. The minimum fare suggested is Rs20 for travelling in the Orange Line Metro Train. But the fares (Rs30 and Rs15) being charged in metro or...