KARACHI (July 20): Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presiding over a meeting directed Mayor Karachi to work out a proposal to add 28-air conditioned CNG buses of KMC to the Peoples Bus Service fleet so that they could be put on any existing or new routes in the city.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Local Government Saeed Ghani, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, PSCM Agha Wasif, Secretary Local Govt Khalid Hyder Shah, Secretary Finance Fayaz Jatoi and Municipal Commissioner KMC Afzal Zaidi.
Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab briefing the CM said that the defunct city district government of Karachi had procured 75 buses. The buses operated on CNG; of them, 14 buses were donated to different organizations. Later 10 buses were donated to Karachi University, the remaining buses remained in operation till 2017 and then the operations were discontinued due to the non-availability of CNG and poor maintenance.
Murtaza Wahab said that 51 buses were in different stages of decay and were available with KMC. 28 buses, if repaired, could be put in operation, one of them the KMC has reconditioned through private sources.
The repaired vehicle has been converted to diesel fuel and the bus has been reconditioned for Rs 8 million.
Minister Local Govt Saeed Ghani proposed that the cost estimate for the renovation of 28 buses may be carried out first and then reconditioning may be started, if feasible.
It was proposed that these 28 buses, after renovation, may be used as shuttle service from Numaish up to Old Radio Pakistan or Tower which ultimately would be the route of Red Line BRT.
The CM directed the KMC to work out a plan for the renovation of its 28 buses for him. “If the renovation proposal is approved the transport department would be assigned the task of upgrading them and putting them on the route or turning them into shuttle service as suggested.
