For years, I had to travel by a minibus for moving from Teen Hatti to PIB Colony when I returned from work. That was quite a trouble and too expensive. Now that has changed, thanks to the six seater motorcycle-turned-rickshaws, commonly known as ching chee or qinqci.
I sit in a six-seater at Teen Hatti and get off it on the main road of PIB Colony, near my home. They charge only 10 rupees. Minibuses would charge 14 rupees and drop me at the Marston Road.
Introduction of these vehicles has made life a lot easier and a lot less expensive for tens of thousands of Karachiites. They charge much less than the minibuses, buses and coaches. And they are more convenient in that you travel by them only if there is a seat empty. You don’t have to travel hanging by a pipe. The buses, minibuses and coaches drop you only on major thoroughfares. The six-seater rickshaws take you inside your locality and drop you nearest to your home.
Initially they were operating on very short routes like the one I take–from Teen Hatti to a corner of PIB Colony. But now they are taking the long routes as well, on the same fares. For example, you can go from the Old Sabzi Mandi to Saddar; from NIPA Chowrangi to Nagan Chowrangi; from Gulshan Chowrangi to Gulzar Hijri; from Central Jail to Karimabad.
They have dealt a severe blow to the cruel transporters of the city who have been fleecing the commuters for decades. Their buses are unfit for travel. You often don’t get enough space to sit even if you have a seat because the seats are so small as if designed for school children. If you are standing, it is so suffocating because of the low roofs of minibuses and coaches and then they play pathetic songs to give you a headache. And then their skyrocketing fares. I wish more and more six-seater rickshaws grab more and more of their business. So that they come to their senses. Already 4-M has started charging Rs5 for Gulshan Chowrangi to Gulzar-e-Hijri to compete with them. Well done, six-seaters. I love you.
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