Mini metro buses to be plied on two routes in twin cities

Rawalpindi

Punjab government will launch mini metro buses in the twin cities very soon as city district government, Rawalpindi has announced launching of two new routes, from Karal Chowk to New Islamabad Airport and from Rawat to New Islamabad Airport. The concerned transport authority will operate two routes with mini buses and wagons but after some time, mini metro buses will be plied on the abovementioned routes.

Public will be able to travel on these routes at nominal fare of Rs20. The mini metro buses will bring passengers from different areas to metro bus stations at nominal fares of Rs15. A passenger can travel through regular metro buses to Islamabad after showing coin of mini metro bus of Rs15 and paying another five rupees only.

District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA) Secretary Khalid Yameen Satti told ‘The News’ that Punjab government has finalised work to launch this transport system. “The mini metro buses of different companies will run on all routes of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to bring passengers to metro stations. The fare of mini metro buses has been fixed at Rs15. The regular passengers of metro buses will buy another coin of Rs5 to go anywhere in Islamabad or Rawalpindi,” he claimed.

“We have launched two new routes from Karal Chowk to New Islamabad Airport and second from Rawat to New Islamabad Airport. We have done all work for launching metro buses on these new routes,” he added.

He also said that they were not going to ban private public transport in twin cities. They will also operate and there will be tough competition between mini metro buses and private public transport, he added. He said that passengers who want to travel in metro buses should not put the coin of Rs15 they bought for mini metro buses in the coin box. They will show the coin of Rs15 and purchase another coin of Rs5 to travel in regular metro buses, he added.

He said it was beyond doubt Metro Bus Service proved a blessing for the commuters, but those who live out of the way or for whom its route does not suite them face hell like situation due to poor public transport system in the city.