KARACHI: Pakistan launched commercial operations of Karachi’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Green Line Project on Saturday, the Pakistani planning minister said, adding that all 22 stations of the service would be operational from next month.
It is estimated that there are currently only 4,000 public transport carriers operating in Karachi, a city of over 15 million people, with only 400 big buses and 3,500 minibuses and coaches. There are a total of 60 routes for big buses out of which 47 are closed and only 13 are operational.
The Green Line service has a fleet of 80 buses and will serve approximately 135,000 people on a daily basis from Surjani Town till the Numaish roundabout once the project becomes fully operational.
“The first bus left the Abdullah Chowk station with passengers,” Pakistani Planning Minister Asad Umar said on Twitter. “From today, service will be provided at 11 stations from 8am till 12pm. God willing, all stations will be operational from January 10 as announced earlier.”
شہر قائد میں، قائد اعظم کی سالگرہ کے دن کراچی گرین لائن کمرشل آپریشن کا آغاز. پہلی بس مسافروں کے ساتھ عبداللہ چوک سٹیشن سے روانہ. آج سے گیارہ سٹیشن صبح 8 سے 12 بجے یعنی 4 گھنٹے کی سروس ہو گی. انشاءاللہ جیسے پہلے اعلان کیا گیا، 10 جنوری سے تمام سٹیشن صبح سے شام تک کام شروع کر دیں pic.twitter.com/HatHpMwKqq
— Asad Umar (@Asad_Umar) December 25, 2021
According to local media reports, in the first phase of the launch, 25 buses will ply the track during the hours mentioned by Umar and the fare per trip will range between Rs15 and Rs55. Each vehicle has the capacity to accommodate 151 people. The route has 22 stations, each installed with a modern ticketing system.
The project was inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan on December 10.
“No city can develop without a modern transportation system,” PM Khan had said at the launching ceremony. “Karachi is rightly called the engine Pakistan’s growth and it deserves modern transport.”
Karachi has opened a metro bus service after Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar launched similar schemes in past years.
