Representatives of civil society have sent a letter to Dushanbe Mayor Rustam Emomali, who is also Speaker of the Majlisi Milli (Tajikistan’s upper house of parliament), asking for making public transport for schoolchildren free or providing a 50-percent discount on the schoolchildren annual public transport card.

They, in particular, note after the rise in public transport fares, large families are unable to pay for public transport.

Thus, current prices for annual public transport cards are 300.00 somonis for schoolchildren, 529.00 somonis for students and 750.00 somonis for adults.

The public also asked the mayor to prohibit drivers from unloading minors without tickets from the bus because “children are in danger of not being able to get home.”  

“It is getting dark early now, and children who walk home may be in danger,” representatives of civil society say. 

Recall, the Antimonopoly Agency has allowed the State Unitary Enterprise Dushanbenaqliyotkhadamotrason (Dushanbe Public Transport Services) to raise public transport fares.

Starting from November 10, bus ride by CITY Card costs 1.80 somonis (50-percent increase; current bus fare costs 1.20 somonis), trolleybus ride by City CARD costs 1.50 somonis (50-percent increase; current trolleybus fare costs 1.00 somonis),

Meanwhile, the bus ride for cash costs 2.50 somonis and the trolleybus ride for cash costs 2.00 somonis. 

Shared fixed-route minibus fare has been raised from 1.60 somonis to 2.50 somonis (more than 56-percent increase).

Taxi fare has been raised from 2.50 somonis per kilometer to 3.00 somonis (20-percent increase).