KARACHI, Sep 19 (APP):Governor Sindh, Imran Ismail on Sunday said the first consignment of 40 Green Line buses had finally reached the metropolis which would likely be operational within next two months.
The governor, flanked with the Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Asad Umar while congratulating Karachiites on the arrival of 40 Hybrid Electric Buses from China to Karachi Port, said that Sindh’s first consignment of federally-funded mass transit system had been completed successfully.
He said 40 buses out of in-all 80 buses of Green Line Project had reached here and the remaining 40 buses had been shipped which would be arrived soon. The governor said they would try a dry run of the arrived BRT buses before their commercial operation for residents of the city.
Governor Imran Ismail said the IT system of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Green Line would be integrated and would immediately request Prime Minister Imran Khan to inaugurate the Green Line Project.
He said the demands of Karachities were heard with deaf ears for decades and the politicians of past regimes had procrastinated their genuine issue for last 13 years. He said arrival of 40 buses was the proof of promise made by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and their concern for masses.
Imran Ismail said all the buses were air-conditioned buses which would charge minimum fare from commuters.
He said, previously, PTI-led government gifted 52 fire tenders to the city, but he regretted that those tenders were not being utilized due to the shortage of drivers.
I have talked to Chief Minister for providing staff forthwith, he said. The governor said that he had two goals to do for Karachi on priority as one was the provision of buses and the second was supply of water through K-VI, adding that the fist commitment had been accomplished.
He also thanked MQM-Pakistan and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) for their support in the project. Federal Minister Asad Umar speaking on the occasion said a modern system of transport was going to run on Green line tracks in the city.
He informed the remaining 40 buses would reach Karachi within five weeks. Asad Umar said a software system would be installed in the buses while the control room, stations and track were already ready to operationalise the project at the earliest.
He said they would train drivers and would conduct test run before starting functioning of these buses. He remarked that Karachi’s first modern transport system would likely to start within next two months.
The federal government would run the project for the first three years, the minister said hoping that a number of people would benefit from the new service.
He said the federal government had prepared a complete system of transport, adding that its foundation was being laid. Five other big projects of Karachi Transformation Package (KTP) were also in the process, Umar said adding, Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) was also one of them.
Hopefully, the Prime Minister himself would visit the city and perform KCRs groundbreaking. Asad Umar said Gujar, Orangi and Mahmoodabad roads would be build, adding that cleaning of the Gujar, Orangi and Mahmoodabad nulla were about to complete.
The minister lamented that unfortunately, the city was not given its due right by the past governments, adding, the Prime Minister Imran Khan had announced a number of projects for the city which had already been inaugurated. He said the development on the projects of other 14 districts of Sindh province would also be shared soon.
Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Syed Amin Ul Haque on the occasion lauded the efforts of the federal government for the provision of modern transport system to Karachi. He said provision of transport to the city was the responsibility of the provincial government after 18th amendment but its credit went to the federal government.
Later, Replying to a question, the governor criticized the provincial government and rejected the idea of receiving taxes through electric bills. He said garbage in the city was not being lifted, adding, there was shortage of hospitals and condition of schools was also pathetic in the province. Replying to a question, Asad Umar said the promise of conducting new census would also be carried out.
