Public transport problem in Karachi

KARACHI: Nowadays, the problems of public transport are increasing and becoming a menace for the public and students, in particular.

The shortage of public transport widens the gap between the public demand and the availability of buses on the roads. Most of Karachiites rely on buses and coaches as a mode of transport as many of them do not own personal cars or bikes and the fares of taxis and rickshaws are also unaffordable for them. Commuting by bus is a relatively cheaper mode of transportation and caters to the needs of varied social classes from a labourer to a middle-class white-collar worker.



However, keeping in mind that the current transport route system makes people change several buses to reach their destination, the buses which move around the city are unreliable, poorly maintained, worn-out with zero-safety standards, like emergency exits, etc. They have limited seating capacity. Hence, most of the time, the buses are overloaded, accommodating more passengers than its capacity, who are then forced to cling to the doors or perch on the roofs of the buses to take a ride.



Moreover, reckless driving by bus drivers often leads to deadly accidents, while the overloading causes an imbalance resulting in overturning incidents. Furthermore, there is limited seating capacity especially in the ladies compartment of the buses. This allocation of less space for women in public buses causes seating problems for women and they often have to sit right next to the bus driver.

I request the local government to address this problem by increasing the number of public buses on the roads and ensuring that the criteria set for the safety standards are met.

Aqib Naeem 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2017.

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