PESHAWAR: Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system fares are expected to increase by Rs 5 per stop, with the base fare increasing from Rs 15 to Rs 20.
The maximum fare for the entire BRT route will increase from Rs 55 to Rs 60, a spokesman said, citing the recent hike in electricity prices as the reason for the increase in transport fares.
Earlier, Advisor to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Finance Muzzammil Aslam had hinted at a possible increase in fares. The provincial government plans to reduce the subsidy for Peshawar BRT from Rs.6 billion to Rs.3 billion. It aims to save 2 billion rupees by reducing expenses and 1 billion rupees by increasing bus fares from 5 to 10 rupees.
Aslam also noted that if the bus service is privatized, the fare could potentially go up to Rs 80 per person. The provincial government is working closely with the federal government to address fiscal challenges in the province.
Read more: Financial difficulties: proposed fare increase for BRT Peshawar
In March, an accountability court in Peshawar granted the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) request to freeze 17 bank accounts of two contractors involved in an alleged corruption case related to the BRT project. The court also directed the National Anti-Corruption Body to seal the residential plots of the contractors.
Last year, reports indicated that the BRT was on the verge of closure as the provincial government failed to pay nearly Rs 1 billion in dues to five private companies managing various parts of the public transport system.
