ISLAMABAD: The city managers on Friday decided to operate electric buses on two more routes from next week.

A fleet of 28 buses (14 each) will be operated on the new routes. The first route (12 km) is from Pims stop to Faisal Mosque, F-7, F-6, Marriott Hotel and Pak Secretariat. The second route (10 km) is Karnal Sher Khan Road (IJP Road) from Faizabad to Peshawar Road.

“Member planning and engineering approved the summary of the new routes and soon the service will start,” said an official of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) engineering wing.

He said after getting positive response from commuters on the first two routes, which were started last month, CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa directed for launching the bus service on two more routes.

28 buses to be operated between Pims and Secretariat and Faizabad-Peshawar Road, says official

“Since the chairman and member have given the go-ahead and buses are available, the operation on two new routes will start in a few days,” he said.

The official said the CDA will gradually start operation on several other routes.

Last month, CDA had started the bus service on Nust to Pims and from Pims to Bari Imam, which was later extended up to Quaid-i-Azam University.

The civic agency charges a Rs50 flat fare from each passenger. Moreover, charging points have been set up for the electric buses on an emergency basis at the Convention Centre and H-9.

Out of the total 160, CDA has already received 100 buses and further 60 will be delivered from China in coming months. Out of the available 100 buses, 30 are being run on two routes and 28 more will be put on the road from next week.

The buses are the property of CDA’s contractor National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) - a subsidiary of the defence ministry, which is paid Rs306 to Rs331 per kilometre by CDA as a fare, besides logistic support such as bus stops and routes.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his previous tenure, had directed the CDA to launch new bus services on 13 routes. On his direction, the then CDA chairman Noorul Amin Mengal engaged the NRTC to procure e-buses from an international firm that manufactured them in China.

During the tenure of the PML-N government (2013-18), the Rawalpindi-Islamabad metro service was launched followed by the Orange, Green and Blue Lines in the capital. All metro bus services are in operation and have been providing services to citizens.

During his previous stint, Shehbaz Sharif took special interest in the bus service and constantly pushed the CDA to open 13 routes to connect all sectors and rural and urban areas.

Though the electric buses have started their operations and according to CDA after every 10 minutes a bus arrives on its stop, there are no proper stops and a watch system for passengers to know the actual timings of the buses.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2024