ISLAMABAD: The residents of Islamabad will see more buses on city roads soon as out of the 160 electric buses 30 have arrived in Karachi from China and another fleet of 70 is on the way.

Arrangements are being finalised for the transportation of the 30 buses to Islamabad. Once in the city, the electric buses will be operated on different routes.

Initially, sources said, these buses will be operated from Convention Centre where the CDA has made arrangements for their charging. Once started, it will be the first eco-friendly and electric bus service in the capital city.

Officials said that later three exclusive bus terminals will be set up one each at Zero Point, Tramri and I-9.

30 of 160 electric buses reach Karachi from China, to be transported to capital, says official

Earlier, the CDA had intended to procure the buses from its own funding, however, last year it decided to hire the services of a contractor and National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) won the contract.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his previous tenure, had directed the CDA to launch new bus services on 13 routes.

He had also inaugurated three metro bus services: Orange Line, Green Line and Blue Line. The buses plying on the three routes belong to the CDA and they are providing great relief to thousands of passengers daily. The capital city remained neglected for decades as after the closure of Government Transport Service (GTS), no effort was made to start any bus service in Islamabad. However, during the tenure of the PML-N government in 2013-18, the metro bus service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad was launched and later Orange, Green and Blue Lines were started.

The officials said after launch of buses on 13 new routes, there will be an adequate travelling facility available for the residents as almost all areas of the city will be connected with each other.

A source in NRTC - the contractor of the CDA, said that soon the operation of 30 buses will be started while remaining 70 buses, which are on their way in a vessel, will also arrive next month followed by the last fleet of 60 buses. The buses would be operated on 13 routes by the NRTC. As per the agreement, the CDA will pay the NRTC about Rs306 to Rs331 per kilometre to operate the buses.

The 13 routes identified by the CDA include Police Foundation/Orange Line Station to Red Line Faiz Ahmed Faiz Station in I-8; Allama Iqbal Station to Red Line Potohar Station; Pims to Secretariat; D-12 to G-10; F-11 to Red Line F-8 Station; G-11 to Pims; Aabpara to Tramri Chowk; Nilor to Khanna Pul; Pirwadhai Chowk to Faizabad; B-17 to Chungi No 26 and I-16 to Chungi Number 26.

20 buses for Pink Bus service

Minister for Education and Professional Training Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Tuesday confirmed that 20 school buses were being diverted towards the Pink Bus service.

He said the new service was also meant for promotion of education as it would exclusively ply for girl students.

In response to a calling-attention notice moved by the ruling party’s MNA, Nosheen Iftikhar, and three other parliamentarians, the federal minister said 20 out-of-order buses were being converted for Pink Bus service to transport girl students from rural area like Bhara Kahu to the main city.

He, however, said there was no disturbance of available functional fleet of bus services in schools and colleges and the Pink Bus service would also be for female students.

Through the calling-attention notice, the MNAs had sought attention of the minister to the issue of urgent public importance concerning “stoppage of almost 20 school buses” meant for students and diverting them for the Pink Bus service as well as non-appointment of teachers against vacant posts in the Islamabad Capital Territory.

The minister said the 20 buses that would be diverted to the Pink Bus project were out-of-order and were being repaired to make them useable. However, he did not respond to the second portion of the calling-attention notice related to appointment of teachers.

MNA Nosheen Iftikhar told the house that during the previous PML-N government, under the PM Education Reform Programme, 200 buses were provided for Islamabad-based schools and colleges in 2017. She said in 2018, the PTI came to power and it failed to hire drivers and cleaners as a result of which many vehicles developed faults. However, she asked the minister that for running the Pink Bus service, the 20 buses should not be utilised for the project and should remain in service of schools and colleges. She further said that if the ministry wanted to run the Pink Bus service, it should procure 20 new buses for this initiative, adding that educational institutions should not be deprived of this facility.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2024