No check on eatables selling at hefty rates at city bus stand

Ravi Chandel

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 16

Passengers are a harried lot as eatables, beverages and other articles are being sold at exorbitant prices by shop and kiosk owners on the premises of the city bus stand.

According to commuters at the bus stand, owners of shops and kiosks are selling their articles at 20 to 50 per cent higher rates than the maximum retail price (MRP). Besides, these articles are stale and substandard, which is an open invitation to diseases in summer.

Lakhwinder Singh, a passenger, said, “Overcharging at the city bus stand has become a routine affair and now passengers buy articles without questioning the hefty prices being charged by shop owners. If a passenger tries to negotiate with a shop owner about the price he ends up entering into a verbal spat with him.”

Besides, the PRTC authorities have failed to keep a tab on the shop and kiosk owners selling articles at very high prices.

Manvinder Singh, another passenger, said, “A mineral water bottle, which is available in the market at Rs 20, is being sold for Rs 25. The MRP of a 300 ml cold drink is MRP 15, but they are selling it for Rs 20. Similarly, the MRP of a 750 ml cold drink is Rs 35, but they are selling it for Rs 40-45. Even snacks are sold more that their MRPs by shop owners.”

Time and again, they have intimated PRTC officials about this “open loot” by shop owners, but in vain.

On the other hand, shop and kiosk owners say they have to pay a high rent for their shops. If they will not increase the rates of their articles then it will become very difficult for them to pay monthly rent to the PRTC.

When contacted, Karnail Singh, superintendent, PRTC, said, “I have already warned the shop and kiosk owners to not sell their eatables, beverages and other articles more than their MRP prices.”

He assured that they would take strict action against those shop owners who were selling their articles at hefty prices. He said the shop owners could not sell their articles more than MRPs saying that they had to pay a high rent for their shops.