KUWAIT: The Interior Ministry’s Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs Major General Fahd Al-Shuwaei (center) speaks during a press conference yesterday.

KUWAIT: The Interior Ministry’s Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Traffic Affairs Major General Fahd Al-Shuwaei said the amended taxi and public transport fares are the lowest in the Arabian Gulf even after hiking them.

He said during a press conference yesterday the decision aims at organizing the process and set transport prices commensurate to operation costs. He said the Interior Ministry, as the body concerned with deciding transportation prices and protecting the parties involved, made a preemptive move ahead of some who may use the decision to raise prices, and what may follow in problems between the service presenter and receiver.

Shuwaei said it is important for taxi drivers to stick to the new tariffs and use the meter. He added that the tariff department will strictly monitor transport means and issue citations to violators, which allows impoundment of the vehicle for two months.

Meanwhile, Director General of the Relations and Security Information Department Brigadier Adel Al-Hashash said the department will launch an awareness campaign in all media to explain the details of the decision and its goal. He called on citizens and expats to call the complaints number (999 - 888 - 777 - 25583666) or 112 to inform about any case of noncompliance by taxi drivers, and a patrol will go to the site and deal with the situation.

By Hanan Al-Saadoun