Punjab government will start a Green Bus service with the help of the World Bank to solve the transport and environmental problems in major cities of the province.
Initially, 100 buses will be run in Lahore and Faisalabad under the provincial government’s project aimed at solving the growing problems of transport and pollution caused by substandard vehicles. The project will receive technical support from the deferral ministry of science and technology, while a $20 million loan will be taken from the World Bank.
The decision comes as transport problems in major cities of Punjab, including Lahore, are becoming serious. The situation in small towns is also bad. Amid lack of government transport facilities for the population of the province of more than 120 million, substandard vehicles used by private transporters are causing an increase in pollution and accidents.
The Lahore Transport Company (LTC) was set up in the provincial capital for local transport, through which the contractors ran their buses for huge subsidy but it also failed to meet the needs of the city. The LTC has shut down the service on all routes.
Even the Metrobus and Orange Line trains costing billions of rupees could not significantly reduce the difficulties faced by the citizens.
For operating the Green Bus service, the LTC will be renamed as Punjab Transport Company. It will control the transport service across the province. Private operators will be able to operate their services with the logo of the Punjab Transport Company.
The company will be responsible for ticketing, security and other matters, while the private operators will run the buses and will be paid on a per kilometre basis.
At the initial stage, 50 buses will be run in Lahore and 50 in Faisalabad. The buses will be purchased by the Punjab government for which a loan of $20 million is being taken from the World Bank at a low markup.
Punjab Transport Minister Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan Khichi told The Express Tribune that work on the Green Bus project was underway in full swing. “We are in constant touch with Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry and we want to complete this project as soon as possible.
The provincial minister said the previous government's projects in the transport sector were costing a subsidy of billions of rupees annually. “Despite the huge increase in financial burden, the transport problems have not been solved.
Private bus companies are providing substandard service to passengers and charging exorbitant fares. Cleanliness at the bus stands of the private operators is unsatisfactory and most of the vehicles are old.
The government is subsidising its projects but the transport needs of the citizens are not being met. In such a situation, on the orders of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, we decided to introduce a new system in the transport sector.”
He said the Punjab Transport Company would be formed, under which private operators would run their buses. The private companies will be responsible for running the buses, while the Punjab Transport Company will be in charge of ticketing, security and other matters.
The Punjab Transport Company will soon recruit transport sub inspectors and other staff, the minister said.
He said the citizens were paying fares but getting substandard and unsafe transport facilities. “We are trying to provide low cost, standard, safe and environment friendly transport services to the citizens. We will start the Green Bus service within 90 days after approval of loan from the World Bank and completion of paper work.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 4th, 2020.
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