Pindi administration wants Metro Bus back

With a drop in novel coronavirus (Covid-19) cases reported across the province, the Rawalpindi district administration has pushed the Punjab government to bring the Metro Bus service back on track.

Sources in district administration told The Express Tribune on Monday that the coronavirus situation in the garrison city has improved considerably and the daily toll has dropped sharply as well, with the city reporting only 12 cases in the past 24 hours.

Therefore, the conditions seem to have turned favourable to resume the Metro Bus service between the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Metro bus faces Rs500m loss during lockdown

Sources confirmed that the Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anwarul Haq has written to the Punjab government to highlight the problems faced by commuters after the mass transit system was brought to a halt. Hence, he recommended recommencing operations of the bus service under standard operating procedures (SOPs).

According to sources, the DC said that all other transport are already plying on the roads under the SOPs along with other online ride-hailing services.

Haq in his letter said that the bus service is used by over 100,000 commuters daily, saving them from traffic snarl-ups as well. Sources added that the Metro Bus Authority has faced a loss of around Rs430 million due to the four-month-long closure of the service due to the pandemic.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 21^st, 2020.