Sindh Senior Minister for Information and Transport Sharjeel Inam Memon has announced a series of major initiatives aimed at strengthening Karachi’s public transport system, including the addition of more electric buses, expansion of routes before Eidul Fitr, and plans to introduce double-decker buses and EV taxis.
The announcements were made during a meeting of the provincial transport and mass transit department chaired by the senior minister on Friday to review progress on public transport projects across the province.
The meeting was attended by Transport Secretary Asad Zamin, Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) Managing Director Kanwal Nizam Bhutto, and other senior officials. The participants discussed various matters related to improving the public transport network, including new routes, road infrastructure challenges, and the expansion of double-decker bus services.
Speaking at the meeting, Memon described the developments as good news for the public, saying that the Sindh government had decided to introduce additional electric buses to further strengthen the city’s modern transport network.
He announced that new routes for the EV bus service in Karachi would be launched before Eidul Fitr, while similar services in other districts of the province would be introduced in phases after the festive occasion.
Memon further revealed that a new EV bus route from Gulshan-e-Maymar to Merewether Tower in Karachi would become operational next week, expanding the reach of the Peoples Bus Service.
He added that the government had also planned to expand the service to other cities, including Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar, Sukkur, Shikarpur and Khairpur after Eid so that more citizens could benefit from modern and affordable transport facilities.
During the meeting, officials of the SMTA also briefed participants on road infrastructure challenges affecting certain bus routes. Memon directed that priority work be carried out on roads across Karachi to ensure smooth operations of public transport services.
He said issues being faced on routes of the Peoples Bus Service would be taken up with the relevant provincial department to ensure their timely resolution. The minister also highlighted progress on launching EV taxis in the province. In this regard, he said a memorandum of understanding would be signed after the Eid between the Sindh Bank, Sindh Enterprise Development Fund and SMTA to move the project forward.
Memon reaffirmed that the Sindh government was taking continuous steps to provide citizens with quality, affordable and environmentally friendly transport facilities, adding that public welfare projects would continue to be implemented on a priority basis across the province.
