Karachi commuters lament high transport fares despite fuel price cuts

KARACHI: Commuters in Karachi say private transport operators and ride-hailing services have not reduced fares despite successive cuts in petrol and diesel prices, and are urging the Sindh government to step in so that lower fuel costs are reflected in passenger charges.

Passengers said transport fares within the city were raised by around 40 per cent after petroleum prices climbed sharply during heightened tensions linked to the US-Iran war. At the time, transporters had argued that operating on the earlier fare structure had become financially impossible. Commuters say the situation has since changed, as petrol and diesel prices have fallen by around Rs100 per litre from their peak levels in recent weeks.

They said fuel prices had briefly risen to above Rs400 per litre, but later dropped to around Rs300 per litre. Since prices before the conflict were around Rs260 to Rs270 per litre, commuters argued that the net increase now stands at roughly Rs30 to Rs40 per litre, which they said does not justify keeping transport fares at wartime levels.

Passengers report continued overcharging

Passengers said when petrol and diesel went up from around Rs250-Rs270 per litre to nearly Rs400 per litre, private buses and coaches raised minimum fares by Rs10 to Rs20 and maximum fares by Rs30 to Rs50. They also said ride-hailing platforms increased fares for short motorcycle trips by around Rs100, longer motorcycle rides by about Rs200, and car bookings by Rs200 to Rs500.

A young employee working at a clothing shop in Jama Cloth Market said the private bus fare from Orangi to Jama Bus Stop had been Rs60 before the regional conflict but later rose to Rs90, while some conductors now ask for Rs100 for the same route.

"Now that diesel prices have fallen by around Rs100 per litre, why have transport fares not been reduced? Instead of remaining at Rs90, the fare should have come down to at least Rs70," he said.

In Korangi district, commuters also complained of what they described as arbitrary fare collection by private transport operators. One passenger said the usual fare from Dawood Chowrangi to Qayyumabad was around Rs60 to Rs70, but a conductor charged Rs100 for a single ticket. Recounting the exchange, he said: "When I asked for the remaining amount, the conductor insisted that the fare was Rs100. When I protested, he abused me even though I was travelling with my family."

Ride-hailing users cite higher charges

A family travelling from Power House Chowrangi to Garden East said they used to pay around Rs550 to Rs600 for a one-way trip through a ride-hailing app before the war, but now face fares ranging from Rs900 to Rs1,000 for the same journey.

Another commuter said a one-way motorcycle ride booked through a ride-hailing app from Kaneez Fatima Society to Cantt Railway Station had earlier cost around Rs320 to Rs350. He said it had now become difficult to find a rider willing to accept the trip for less than Rs500.

Several other commuters waiting at Numaish Bus Stop voiced similar complaints, saying transport fares had not been revised downward even after a substantial reduction in petroleum prices. They said the continued higher charges were adding to the financial strain on households already dealing with a rising cost of living, and called on the Sindh government to investigate overcharging by private transport operators and ride-hailing services and take action against violators.