Air-conditioned bus service starts in Karachi

KARACHI: The Sindh government has collaborated with private bus company, Daewoo, to start the Peoples Bus Service in the city.

A citizen sitting in the bus for the first time spoke to Geo News about the new service, saying it was a laudable initiative. “The best part is that we would get proper seats to sit on as opposed to the other buses in which people would have to commute stacked together like cattle.”

He also appreciated the provincial government for setting a decent fare – Rs20 to Rs40.

Initially 10 buses would ply the streets of Karachi, between Quaidabad and Tower, till 11pm.

Each of the 10 buses has 30 seats and have separate doors for men and women to enter.

However, the 10 buses are few very for a city like Karachi where a majority of the population of roughly 16 million depend on public transport for the daily commute.

Later in the day, while talking to the media, Sindh Transport Minister Nasir Hussain Shah said it was not a big deal for his government to start the bus service. He said this could be seen as the first drop of rain, promising more buses on roads in the coming days. 

Last year, the Sindh government had taken notice of the dilapidated condition of public transport in the city, approving a plan to introduce 600 intercity buses in Karachi.

The decision had come during a meeting presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

The CM said that the Sindh government will help transporters in generating funds for the new buses, while their insurance will be done by the Sindh Insurance Company.

Elaborating, he said that the Sindh government will give Rs2 billion through Modaraba, and provide banks 30 per cent credit risk guarantee.

However, at the meeting, Sindh Transport Minister Nasir Hussain Shah had said the city needed around 8,000 new buses. The number was given considering the danger people pose to their lives by filing the buses till the ceiling, only to adjust the maximum number in each vehicle.

This is the reason why a large number of casualties whenever bus accidents take place.