Electric buses start operation on two routes in Islamabad today

ISLAMABAD: The residents of Islamabad can enjoy travelling in electric buses from Saturday (today) on two routes as Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi inaugurated the service on Friday.

As many as 30 electric buses will be operated on the two routes - Nust to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims and from Pims to Bari Imam. The CDA will charge a Rs50 flat fare from each passenger. Moreover, charging points have been set up for the electric buses on an emergency basis at the Convention Centre and H-9.

Besides, a fleet of 70 buses has also arrived in Islamabad which will be operated on 11 other routes after training of drivers and their helpers in about a month.

In the next few months, CDA will also receive the last fleet of 60 buses increasing the total number to 160.

The minister inaugurated the bus service at Convention Centre where CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa briefed him about the bus service and its functions.

Interior minister says Islamabad’s transport system will be further improved

The minister appreciated the standards of the buses and said public transport system in Islamabad would be further improved to facilitate the citizens.

The first route starts from Nust and ends at Pims after passing through G-11 Markaz, G-10 Markaz, G-9 Markaz and G-8 Markaz. It will have 13 stops and a bus will reach a stop after every 10 minutes.

The second route starts from Pims and concludes at Bari Imam after passing through G-7, G-6, Melody, Aabpara, Ataturk Road, Serena Hotel, Foreign Office, Radio Pakistan and the Diplomatic Enclave.

The buses are the property of CDA’s contractor NRTC, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Defence, which will be paid Rs306 to Rs331 per kilometre in fare and provided with logistics.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his previous tenure, had directed the CDA to launch new bus services on 13 routes. On his direction, the then CDA chairman Noorul Amin Mengal engaged the NRTC to procure e-buses from an international firm that manufactured them in China.

During the tenure of the PML-N government (2013-18), the Rawalpindi-Islamabad metro service was launched followed by the Orange, Green and Blue Lines in the capital.

Earlier, while chairing a meeting at the CDA headquarters, the interior minister announced to “to transform Islamabad into a world-class city”, said a press release.

The minister directed the CDA and the capital administration to purchase only e-bikes for official uses from now onwards. “The Interior Minister has also imposed a ban on the purchase of conventional motorcycles 9for CDA and ICT)”.

The press release said the meeting decided that international standard emergency services will be provided to the citizens of Islamabad and the administration of emergency services will be transferred from MCI to CDA. Moreover, the establishment of Capital Waste Management Company will also be expedited.

The minister said work on the Serena Chowk Underpass and F-9 Park Chowk Flyover projects will begin soon to alleviate traffic issues in Islamabad. He added that the long-delayed Expressway project will be completed on a priority basis.

He also said that work on the Islamabad Model Jail, which has been stalled for 17 years, was progressing rapidly and the first phase will be completed within the stipulated time. He said business facilitation centres were being established in Islamabad, where investors will be provided with all facilities under one roof. Land has also been allocated for the Health Tower in H-16.

The meeting also reviewed progress on ongoing projects, including the Kuri Enclave, renovation of the federal secretariat building and Diplomatic Enclave.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2024