9 months after the official launch of the People’s Bus Service, the Sindh government has indicated an increase in the fare, which is said to be due to the increase in administrative costs due to the rapid rise in diesel prices.
There are about a dozen routes of People’s Bus Service in Karachi and 3 other cities of the province. Currently, there are 3 types of buses running under the People’s Bus Service Project, Red Bus for all passengers, Pink Bus for women only and Includes white electric bus.
The plan to increase the fare came after a key member of the Sindh cabinet said that it was impossible to continue running the transport service at the current fares.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon told reporters during a visit to the Bus Rapid Transit Corridor under construction for the Red Line that the service could no longer be run at the current fares. Under consideration, it is almost impossible not to increase administrative cost due to inflation and increase in diesel price in the country.
Sharjeel Memon clarified that the government has no option but to increase the fares but I can assure you that the fares will not be increased at once but will be increased in a phased manner keeping in mind the economic challenges of the common man. ‘.
Launched in June 2022, the People’s Bus service runs on 10 routes in different parts of the city, providing thousands of people with air-conditioned buses, recently launched in Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana. has been started.
Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that in view of the current economic situation, the Sindh government reduced its expenditure and cut development projects, but there was no cut in public transport projects.
Expressing his determination to complete all projects on priority basis, he said that more electric buses will be run on all major routes of Karachi under the People’s Bus Service.
He said that due to high inflation in the country, the cost of the Red Line BRT project has increased and the contractors are facing difficulties in maintaining the pace of work.
He said that when the contractors started working on the project, the cost of steel bars per ton was 140,000 rupees, which has now increased to 310,000 rupees per ton. We had a detailed discussion with the contractors. and has assured them that the real problems will be solved’.
He said that the government has also discussed this matter with the Asian Development Bank. On the assurance of the Sindh government, the contractors have accelerated the work on the project 2 days ago.