Public Forced to Pay Full Fare Despite Punjab Government’s Basant Free Ride Offer

The Punjab government’s promise to offer free rides during the three days of Basant was not implemented, leaving commuters to pay full fares despite official assurances. Authorities had announced that tens of thousands of complimentary rickshaw rides would be provided daily as part of a special public relief initiative, but the reality on the ground told a different story.

Commuters reported being charged the standard fare throughout the festival, even in areas where free services were supposedly available. Evidence has since emerged showing passengers making regular payments for rides, including within inner-city zones that were explicitly included in the free-ride promise. The much-publicized offer therefore remained largely symbolic, offering little to no practical relief to the public.

Drivers operating rickshaw services also confirmed they were not informed of any free-ride directive. According to them, no official instructions were issued, and they continued to collect fares as usual during Basant. As a result, citizens were left disappointed by the unfulfilled government initiative, and the intended benefits of the scheme failed to reach those it was meant to support.