Public transport: LTC, Daewoo launch bus service

LAHORE:

The Lahore Transport Company (LTC) in collaboration with the Deawoo Bus Service launched a bus service on Thursday from City railway station to Defence Housing Authority (DHA).

Deawoo will provide 15 buses for the B-5 route (City railway station, Haji Camp, Chairing Cross, Mozang Chungi, Services Hospital, Zafar Ali Road, Liberty Roundabout, Centre Point, Cavalry Ground, Royal Artillery (RA) Bazaar, Masjid Chowk, Defence Road Chowk, Wateen Chowk, DHA Complex, Bedian Road).

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, LTC chairman Mehr Ishtiaq said thousands of commuters would benefit from the service.

He said the LTC was expanding its public transportation network across the city. He said commuters were being facilitated in air-conditioned and comfortable buses.

He said free transport facilities to senior and disabled citizens were available and concessional fares had been offered to the students.

Since its inception, he said, the company had made busses operational on several routes by building confidence of private transport operators.

Daewoo Operations General Manager Ahsan Fayaaz thanked the LTC for their support.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Daewoo General Manager Khurram Mirza said the DHA had approached Deawoo to start a reliable bus service for its residents.

He said the authority had offered 18 kanals land without charge to Daewoo near Nawaz Sharif Interchange to set up its bus terminal.

He said initially, Daewoo plied had five buses between the DHA and RA Bazaar, but it had had low occupancy.

“However, after induction of new buses and extension of the route to City railway station, the company expects more riders,” he said.

Responding to a question, he said the Chinese-made Euro III standard diesel buses would provide safe and comfortable rides to commuters.  The inauguration ceremony at Daewoo City Bus Defence Terminal Bedian Road was attended by the Deawoo Bus president and LTC CEO Khawaja Haider Latif.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 4^th, 2016.