Karachi: The Sindh Government has bolstered the Peoples Bus Service (PBS) fleet by introducing 80 new buses, bringing the total count to 300, as reported by a news source on January 11.
According to the details, this augmentation comprises 30 diesel hybrid buses and 50 electric buses, a development celebrated in a ceremony held at Mazar-e-Quaid. The event was graced by the presence of the caretaker Sindh CM Maqbool Baqar.
During the ceremony, CM Baqar highlighted the significant reliance on private vehicles, particularly motorcycles, and cars, constituting approximately 84% of the total registered vehicles. He pointed out that the growth rate of private vehicles exceeds 4%, resulting in the addition of over 1,000 new vehicles to Karachi’s roads daily.
Moreover, CM Baqar disclosed that while there are more than 12,000 public vehicles, including buses, minibuses, and coaches, operating on over 250 routes in the city, there has been a consistent decline in the number of buses. In 2017, the count fell below 5,000. The CM Baqar emphasised that a city of Karachi’s magnitude should ideally boast a minimum of 15,000 modern buses to effectively meet its transportation demands.
Following the ceremony, Transport Secretary Asad Zamin briefed CM Baqar on the current state of affairs. Presently, 204 buses are operational on 11 routes in Karachi, six in Larkana, 12 on two routes in Hyderabad, and 10 in Sukkur.
Furthermore, it was highlighted that the city has already initiated a ground-breaking Women-Exclusive Public Transport Service. Comprising nine Pink Buses on route R-01 and another nine on route R-02, this service aims to cater specifically to the transportation needs of women in the city.
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