EV buses to replace biogas fleet: Sharjeel

Senior minister says 500 more buses to be added under PPP model

KARACHI:

Senior Sindh Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon on Tuesday said the provincial government was committed to providing modern and comfortable transport facilities across the metropolis and other parts of the province, adding that future government buses would be electric vehicles (EVs).

Speaking during the question hour in the Sindh Assembly, the minister said a biogas plant would still be established under the Red Line BRT project, while its tender would be issued next month. He said the biogas generated under the project would be utilised for other purposes.

Sharjeel informed the House that daily ridership on the Green Line had increased from 50,000 to 95,000 passengers, while the Orange Line, previously ferrying only 2,000 commuters under federal control, was now serving around 9,000 passengers daily after coming under the Sindh government.

The senior minister said contracts for the People's Bus Service, Pink Bus Service and EV buses were awarded transparently. The buses are procured through a federal government company, while EV buses are introduced under a public-private partnership model with government subsidy on each bus.

"We are bringing another 500 buses under the same model and advertisements have already been published," he told lawmakers, adding that the company would also establish charging stations, while the provincial government would provide land for depots.

Responding to concerns raised by MQM lawmaker Shariq Jamal regarding lack of bus routes in his constituency, the minister said only 423 buses were currently available. Many private buses operating in Karachi are unfit for roads and the government has established fitness centres to remove such vehicles from service.

During the session, Jamaat-e-Islami legislator Muhammad Farooq questioned the delay in completion of the Red Line BRT project and criticised the pace of transport development in Karachi.

In response, Sharjeel said several challenges had affected the project, including issues related to Sui gas, K-Electric and delays in obtaining NOCs from the Civil Aviation Authority. He added that the government was sincerely working on the project despite obstacles. "The people are facing inconvenience because of the Red Line project and we apologise for the difficulties," he said.