Buses on Route No. 2 of the Sindh Intra-District Peoples Bus Service in Karachi started their formal commercial operations on Friday.
Meanwhile, the provincial government permitted a Chinese bus company to kick off their bus operations in the city. Provincial transport minister Sharjeel Memon said that the Chinese bus service would be like that of the Peoples Bus Service.
Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and members of his cabinets travelled on a bus of the service. According to a tweet of Administrator Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Murtaza Wahab, the chief minister travelled on a bus from the Metroville bus stop and spoke to commuters as well.
The commuters, according to Wahab, demanded of the chief minister to increase the fleet of the Peoples Bus Service in the city. Shah assured the commuters that the bus service would be expanded not only in Karachi but in other cities of the province as well.
Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Wahab were also present with the chief minister.
The buses will run between the North Karachi neighbourhood and the Indus Hospital. Their route will be Nagan Chowrangi, Shafiq Morr, Sohrab Goth, Gulshan Chowrangi, Nipa, Jauhar Morr, COD, Drigh Road Station, Colony Gate, Shah Faisal Colony, Singer Chowrangi and Landhi to reach the hospital.
As for the Chinese bus service, Memon said that the new bus service would have a total of 500 new busses. The transport minister gave four months to the Chinese company to procure the new busses and bring them to Karachi. After completing all the legal formalities, the fleet of 500 busses, he said, should reach the port city in four months.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had on last Monday formally inaugurated the service, following which the buses started their operations on Route No. 1 from Model Colony to the Merewether Tower. A total of 240 buses imported from China will run on seven routes in the city.
Another batch of 100 buses had arrived on Tuesday at the Karachi port from China for their induction into the fleet of the bus service. Memon had said on the occasion that the provincial government of the PPP had the utmost resolve to provide the best public transportation facilities to the people of the city.
He had said the Sindh government of the Pakistan Peoples Party had been acting swiftly to fulfil its commitment made to the people of Karachi that they would soon be provided with a modern and comfortable bus service for their daily commuting needs.