Karachi to get dedicated heavy vehicle terminal

Sindh govt plans cargo corridor, EV buses, taxis and double-deckers to ease traffic pressure

KARACHI:

The Sindh government has decided to establish a state-of-the-art terminal for trucks, trailers and heavy vehicles outside the city on Northern Bypass in a bid to ease growing traffic congestion.

A dedicated heavy-vehicle corridor will also be constructed from Karachi Port to the proposed terminal to streamline the movement of cargo transport and minimise disruption within the metropolis.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) board, chaired by Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, and attended by senior officials including Sukkur Mayor Arsalan Islam Sheikh, Transport Secretary Asad Zamin, SMTA Managing Director Saleemullah Odho and DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah.

Speaking on the occasion, Sharjeel said the initiative would reduce the burden of heavy traffic on city roads and improve the overall transport system.

The meeting reviewed a range of projects aimed at enhancing urban mobility, reducing traffic pressure and promoting environment-friendly transport in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur. The board approved the early launch of an electric vehicle (EV) taxi service in Karachi and gave the go-ahead for opening financial bids later this month to expedite the project.

It was also decided to procure 50 new double-decker buses for Karachi, each with a capacity of 126 passengers, to improve commuting facilities and ease pressure on public transport.

In a move aimed at women's empowerment, the board approved the purchase of an additional 500 pink EV scooters. The minister said these would be distributed among women in Hyderabad on May 22, terming the initiative a "revolutionary step" that has already helped change societal attitudes.

Under a public-private partnership model, the meeting also approved the procurement of 500 EV buses, of which 450 will operate on 25 routes in Karachi and 50 on five routes in Hyderabad.

Sharjeel said five modern EV depots would be set up across the province - four in Karachi and one in Hyderabad - adding that the next phase of the EV bus project would be launched in Sukkur.

The board further approved the construction of a single-storey parking plaza near the Maula Ali (RA) Qadam Gah in Hyderabad over an area of one acre to facilitate visitors and residents. The meeting also decided that all traffic signals in the province would gradually be shifted to solar-powered systems.