The long-standing issue of public transport and the use of old worn-out Buses For Public Transportation Of Karachi seems to be mitigating to some extent as the Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab on Wednesday announced that the Provincial government Barrister Murtaza Wahab announced on Wednesday that the Sindh Government Will Buy 250 Buses to resolve the transport issue of Karachi and that 50 of them will arrive Karachi by the end of January next year. The federal government has already inaugurated the green Line Bus Service in the City.
Barrister Murtaza Murtaza Wahab who also holds the portfolio of the Provincial Government Spokesman in a gathering after the inauguration of a park in Shah Faisal Colony said that the orders of The Supreme Court in regard to Askari Park will be implemented. Talking about the ongoing work in Karachi he said that the projects worth billions of rupees are being executed in the city. He further said, “A special water supply line is being laid from Hub to facilitate the residents of District West. The second Marigold Festival will be held at the Frere Hall from January 7 to 9.” District Korangi Administrator, Municipal Commissioner, DG Parks Junaidullah Khan and some of the party leaders were also present during the conversation.
Earlier in October this year, the provincial minister for transportation had announced that the fleet of 250 buses would be arranged by the national Defence Organisation namely, National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC). Transport Minister Awais Qadir Shah had revealed, “So by February 2022, we are very much hopeful that Karachi would be having this Public Transport Service under the Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA).” The transport minister had also revealed that the defence ministry organization will also be responsible for supply, operation and maintenance of buses and construction of Depos and stations for the intradistrict bus service project.
The Sindh government has allocated Rs 6.4 billion in the budget 2021-22 for the procurement of 250 diesel hybrid buses for the six major cities of the province. In October 2021 the provincial cabinet approved the award of the contract to be given to NRTC. “In regard with the present situation of the intra-city public transport, SMTA has planned an integrated bus operations system as a solution to cater for the public transport demand in six major cities of the province namely Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Larkana and Shaheed Benaziraba”, The transport minister had added.
