Daewoo to build two new terminals in Lahore

The new terminals will be set up at DHA and Thokhar Niaz Baig

LAHORE: Daewoo Pakistan is going to establish two new bus terminals at the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and at Thokhar Niaz Baig to expand its intercity operations.

Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service vice president Faisal Siddiqui said that the company had acquired land in DHA and Thokar Niaz Baig for setting up the new bus terminals. “The Thokar Niaz Baig terminal will be operational within four months. The DHA terminal will be completed by 2017,” he said.



He said that the DHA terminal would have shopping malls, food courts, cinemas and other recreational facilities.

“We have recently set up a bus terminal in DHA. We got an encouraging response from commuters. At times, it becomes difficult for the company to cater to the growing number of passengers at the existing DHA terminal. That is why we have decided to build another state-of-the-art bus terminal close to the current terminal,” he said.

Siddiqui said the current terminal at Kalma Chowk faced space constraints and other limitations. “It is not possible for us to run a bus every minute or so due to the dense traffic flow on Ferozepur Road. Everywhere in the world, transport companies have terminals at multiple locations for passengers’ convenience,” he said.

“We will invest around Rs700 million to Rs900 million in new buses. Some new European standard buses are also being inducted in the fleet. We started our operations in the ’90s with only 20 buses, now we have 347 buses, providing transportation to six million passengers every year,” he said. Siddiqui said that the company was investing around Rs4 billion in the Multan Metro Bus Service and the Lahore Metro feeder bus operations.

“Daewoo believes historic decline in petroleum prices, reduced mark-up rates, a stable security situation and government’s resolve to improve transport facilities in big cities have provided a conducive environment for investment,” he said.



Marketing General Manager Shehriar Hassan said that Punjab had always been the main focus for the company because it had a better road infrastructure. “The company has also started tour operations in collaboration with some other partners to promote tourism in the country,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2016.