Kabul commuters demand cut in transport fares

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Transportation on Wednesday announced preparing a draft to reduce transport fares in Kabul City as some citizens say the price of oil has decreased but the fares remain high.

Kabul citizens say the fare of a coaster vehicle has increased from 10afs to 15afs, small cars fare from 20afs to 30afs and the bus fare from 30afs to 40afs.

According to a report of Pajhwok Afghan News two months ago, the price of one liter of petrol was 88 afghanis and the price of one liter of diesel 105afs.

But today the price of one liter of petrol is 85 afs and the price of one liter of diesel is 97 afs. The fuel prices decreased by 5.6 percent compared to the past.

Pajhwok reporter talked to a number of citizens in several areas of Kabul such as Dash-i-Barchi, Khairkhana, Thaimani, Kart-i-Naw, Qala-i-Zaman Khan, Kampani, Khoshalkhan, Kart-i-Parwan and some other areas.

Abdul Basir Stanikzai, a resident of Dar-ul-Aman, who daily travels to his shop in Kart-i-Chahar area, told Pajhwok: “The drivers had increased the fare because of the hike in fuel prices but currently the price of fuel has decreased but the fare is yet to be decreased.”

According to him, people are facing financial hardships and cannot afford to pay the fare and the officials concerned should pay attention to the issue and prevent the drivers from overcharging.

Meanwhile, Nilab Mohammadi, a resident of Kart-i-Parwan, held similar view and said: “I travel to Thaimani from Kart-i-Parwan every day. When the prices of fuel increased, the fares also went up, but now that the prices of fuel have decreased, the transport fares remain high.”

Imamuddin Ahmadi, the Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation spokesman, told Pajhwok the distances between Kabul city and its neighborhoods were short, but the ministry did not intervene in the fares as fuel prices were high.

“But now the prices of fuel have decreased, we have prepared fare list which be distributed to all drivers in Kabul… based on that, by tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, the transport fares will be reduced,” he added.

sa/ma