KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved a proposal of the transport department to procure 200 buses — 100 each for Karachi and five other districts — to ply them through private sector on dedicated routes.

He took this decision while presiding over a meeting of the transport department here on Tuesday.

Transport Minister Awais Qadir Shah informed the meeting that he had submitted a plan to the chief minister under which an international tender would be floated to purchase 200 city buses [low height].

He added that Karachi would be given 100 of these buses.

The operation of the buses would be handed over to private parties to be selected in a transparent manner, he said, adding that the provincial government would select important routes of the city and fix their fares.

Says he will approve a summary to transfer driving licence branches from traffic police to transport dept

The private management would have to implement the government plan and operate the buses.

The chief minister directed the transport minister to submit a detailed plan of the buses, their specification, qualification of private operations and details of the routes and dedication of buses on a single route.

He also directed the transport department to expedite the process and complete it within seven months.

Mauripur truck stand to be shifted

The meeting was told that the government had already decided to shift the Mauripur truck stand to Northern bypass.

Senior Member Board of Revenue Qazi Parvez informed the chief minister that the land had been allocated but its entry in the revenue record had yet to be made.

The chief minister directed Mr Parvez to finalise all the legal requirements within next 15 days.

The chief minister decided to construct/ establish an intercity bus terminal on Superhighway/Motorway over an area of 100 acres.

Mr Shah asked as to why the transfer of land was delayed when he had already approved a summary in this regard. He directed the SMBR to transfer the title of the land and report to him within 15 days.

The chief minister said that a decision had already been taken to establish a biogas plant at Cattle Colony under the Karachi Bus Service Project. He directed the transport minister to hold a meeting with the local government minister and Karachi mayor over the issue.

Driving licence branches’ transfer to transport dept

The transport minister informed the chief minister that a summary for transfer of the driving licence branches from police to the transport department had been moved to the chief minister.

The chief minister said that he would approve the summary and he wanted the driving licence branches should be operated on a professional basis.

He directed the transport department to functionalise a driving school.

The chief minister said that he was keen to provide best transport facilities in the city of Karachi and others districts at the earliest.

He directed all the participants to implement the decision as had been decided.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2020