New bus service
Finally, there is some good news for commuters in Karachi. The dilapidated transport system long left neglected has added 240 air-conditioned buses imported from China under the Sindh government’s Peoples Bus Service project. This is a tremendous upgrade from the previous ramshackle and environmentally disastrous buses that haunted the streets of the city. These newly-procured modern buses ply on seven different routes across the metropolis with maximum ticket price capped at Rs50.
It will indeed be an economical and comfortable mode of transport for citizens, especially in the blistering summer heat. But will the project be able to withstand the ever-rising cost of fuel, or will the provincial government eventually be forced to increase ticket prices is a question that needs some consideration. Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon says that further work will continue on other projects such as the Orange Line bus service and the Karachi Circular Railway, all of which will provide much-needed relief to commuter and the stressed transport department. It will also urge commuters, who currently use their own vehicles, to shift to such cheap alternatives thereby reducing overall traffic and vehicular emission.
A cloud of doubt however shrouds the entire scheme as people seem to notice that the inauguration “coincidentally” falls right before the second phase of local elections in Karachi. In order to prove critics wrong, the government must focus on one thing in particular — maintenance. Sindh government is notoriously known for initiating elaborate projects but failing to maintain or sustain them in the long run. The Peoples Bus Service project must not fall into the same fate. Buses need to be periodically cleaned and maintained so that they last long. It is equally the responsibility of citizens to ensure that they do not damage or trash these buses. Previous projects have been treated badly by citizens and officials alike. If we are to move forwards with development, we must collectively play our part.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 30th, 2022.
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