Eco-friendly buses

Now is not the time to turn up one’s nose at any project that promises to ease chronic transportation woes, one of the least talked about issues in Karachi. For the better part of the last decade, the city has gone without the introduction of new buses and daily commuters have had no other recourse except to hitch a ride, buy two-wheelers or depend on more expensive modes of public transport. Much as the Chinese offer of providing 2,000 electric buses to Mayor Waseem Akhtar seems too good to be true, this is exactly what the doctor ordered. A six-member team, led by Thomas Wang, unveiled the plan during a meeting at the mayor’s office on Sunday. Within the next two months, the Chinese team is ready to gift the city a pair of eco-friendly buses allowing drivers to get accustomed to them and test their road worthiness as well as their suitability for mass transit. The price tag for the project is a little over $600 million. The Karachi mayor is convinced that the Chinese eco-friendly buses can change the face of public transport in the city. Perhaps it can but the mayor and other officials owe it to the citizens of Karachi to conduct proper evaluation of these electric buses. No undue urgency should be shown by the authorities in introducing such a technology-driven and environmentally-friendly service.

Transport officials should be looking also at the different locations where the proposed 500 stations ought to be. They must also decide whether the Chinese should operate the buses themselves or work in a joint venture with the government and local transporters or sell the vehicles. Ultimately it is hoped that whatever decision is made is taken in the best interest of the commuters. It is only then can Karachi rid itself of its transport woes.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2017.

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