Health security at risk: Begging business on in Metro buses
ISLAMABAD: While putting commuters’ health security at risk, begging business is on in Metro buses, sources said on Saturday.
Despite outbreak of Coronavirus in the country and the state’s declaration of health emergency and lockdown measures, the metro authority didn’t take safety and security measures in order to make public travel safe and secure.
The commuters have appealed the Punjab government to take notice of beggars and alam seekers influx at the Metro stations as well as in Metro buses so that their fear of Coronavirus attack can be reduce.
The commuters have blamed the concern authority for the influx of beggars and pickpocketers in Metro buses. They not only deprived us from our earning but in this situation putting our lives in threat, said a commuter who was travelling to Islamabad from Rawalpindi.
The entire world is taking measures to control the spread of Coronavirus but the Metro administration has no care even to control influx of baggers and other criminal offence.
Another traveler has termed commuters influx a result of poor safety and security measures by the Metro management. He said poor security measures have put their lives at risk, especially in the prevailing situation when the country is under globally spread Coronavirus pandemic.
Fear of Coronavirus affect, the residents of twin cities are avoiding travel by Metro Bus, which can leave economic implications not only for the Metro Bus Authority but the already deteriorated national economy.
Earlier, there was a threat of pickpocketers in the metro bus as they deprived us from our cash and other valuables, said another commuter, adding that they got a sigh of relief when the Metro administration took some actions, such as announcement of alert at all stations.
It is to mention here that beggar women and children enter in metro buses from different stations and during their travel they narrate their miseries to travelers in order to extract money from them. The women and children carrying documents and other helping letters which can convince commuters for their narratives, earn thousands of rupees on daily basis.
It is pertinent to mention here that there is no advisory and availability of security check at entry and exact points of metro stations.
