KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed Transport and Mass Transit Authority to coordinate with local government department to repair roads of all the bus routes of Peoples Bus Service in the city so that their operation could be ensured smooth, proper and to the extent of their entire route.
He issues these directives while presiding over a meeting to discuss and decide the issues of the People Bus Service here at CM House on Sunday. The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Sharjeel Memon, Nasir Shah, Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Commissioner Karachi Iqbal Memon, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary LG Najam Shah, Secretary Transport Haleem Shaikh, DIG Traffic, heads of KMTA, KDA, Municipal Commissioner Karachi and other concerned.
The chief minister was told that the first route of the Peoples Bus Service in the city was launched from Malir to Towner on June 27, second route on July 1, 2022 and now more than seven routes were in operation with 250 buses.
It was pointed out that there were various issues on the roads of the seven bus routes. For example, the first route from Model Colony to Tower has a length of 29.5 km. Its route at Model Colony, Regal Chowk area needs some asphalt works. In the area of Malir halt, FTC, Aram Bagh needs pavement works and sewerage/drainage lines in some areas were damaged.
Similarly, Route-2 starting from North Karachi to Indus Hospital spreads over 32.9 km. Its areas such as Shafiq Mor, Sohrab Goth and Shah Faisal Bridge areas need asphalt work and Gulshan, Shah Faisal areas’ pavements need to be repaired. These areas have damaged sewerage/drainage lines, which also need to be fixed.
The Route-3 from Nagan Chowrangi to Singer Chowrangi is 33 km. Its areas like Hyderi, National Stadium, Shan Chowrangi roads require asphalt works while FTC bridge, Left Turn to Liaquatabad No. 10 pavements are broken and in the identified areas sewerage lines are also damaged. Therefore, they need to be fixed.
Similar works need to be carried out at Liaquatabad, Lalu Khait, Empress Market, II Chundrigar Road, Jahangir Road, Link Road M-9 of Route 4. Manghopir road, New Karachi, and KMDC to Ziauddin Road, Peoples Chowrangi to Landi Kotal area of Route-5 also need repair and maintenance works.
The roads and pavement of Rourt-6 such as Orangi Town, Paposh Nagar, Garden, Baloch Colony, PIB Colony, Bahadurabad underpass would be repaired. The roads and sewerage lines of Route -7 such as around Qatar Hospital, Haji Hotel Orangi need to be repaired.
The chief minister directed the transport department to coordinate with the local government department and start all the repair and maintenance work on top priority. “I want you [both departments] to complete the work within 40 days,” he said.
Peoples Bus Service has become a good facility in the city and it must be maintained properly, the CM said and directed the transport department to establish 250 bus stops within 20 days. “The staff members such as cleaners, conductors and drivers working on the buses must be neat and clean,” he said and added the standard of the bus service must be maintained,” he said.