LAHORE:
The metro bus service in Lahore has eased travel for many people across the city. Initially, the buses were clean and offered much-needed relief from the old buses. However, over time, the buses have become visibly dirty. Shortage of metro cards has resulted in hours-long queues for tokens, which is very time-consuming and often inconvenient if the token expires.
At the start of the services, buses arrived and departed on time. But now drivers do not seem to follow schedules and buses arrive and depart arbitrarily. This has raised difficulties for daily commuters, particularly those who need to arrive at their destinations on time. Drivers often overboard passengers, which congests the bus as the air-conditioners usually do not work. The situation worsens during summer. The audio on the bus that announces the stops no longer functions on most buses.
Buses are not regularly repaired because they frequently pause mid-way due to problems. This is a safety hazard and can result in accidents. Considering the widespread use of the bus service, the relevant authorities should launch more buses as well as ensure regular maintenance of the existing buses. The service should maintain its initial standard and not fall prey to neglect and mismanagement.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th, 2023.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
