For first time, Islamabad to have inter-sector bus service

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to launch an inter-sector bus service in the capital for the first time.

The CDA has signed an agreement with the Transport Industry Pakistan (TIP), a department of the Ministry of Defence, to ply 160 electric buses on 13 routes of the capital city. The electric vehicles will be imported from China, for which an order has already been placed.

In the first phase, a fleet of 30 buses will reach the capital at the end of December while two fleets of 60 and 70 buses will arrive in February and April respectively.

The Transport Industry Pakistan (TIP) has made the investment for the procurement of vehicles while CDA will pay rent to the government department as per the rate of Rs307 per kilometer.

The contract between CDA and TIP will last for 8 years. According to CDA, the routes of electric vehicles will be linked with Orange Line, Green Line and Blue Line bus services.

The Green Line plies from PIMS Hospital to Bhara Kahu, Blue Line runs from PIMS Hospital to Gulberg Green and Orange Line moves from Peshawar Mor to New Islamabad Airport.

As many as 30 buses ply on the route of Orange Line while 20 buses each run on the routes of Green Line and Blue Line.

At the cost of Rs765 million, a bus depot is being constructed in Sector H-9 for 50 buses of three routes. Around 80 percent of the construction work has been completed. The depot will house offices, petrol pump, parking and other facilities. In addition, four new bus depots will be constructed for the inter-sector buses at four different places, including Taramri Chowk, Zero Point, Sector I-9 and N-5 GT Road. The depots will have charging points for new vehicles as well as maintenance, washing, parking and rest areas for drivers.