Metro Bus requires overall refurbishment

Islamabad : The Metro Bus, with a full track-record of public service, urgently requires multiple initiatives to ensure safe and smooth traveling for general public in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Apparently, an overall refur­bishment seems to be the sole option in order to streamline the service, launched over a decade ago, to provide a reliable and efficient mode of transportation.

Regular commuters, especially elderly, were not fully satisfied with operational issues, just like faulty escalators, elevators and damaged chairs at different stations, especially from Faiz Ahmad Faiz station to Islamabad International Airport routes. Firdoos Shamim, an elderly commuter said: “Peeling paint, damaged chairs, non-functional escalators, elevators and broken stair tiles at most of the stations depict negligence on the part of the officials.”

“It is a tough task to climb stairs at this age, as often I find escalators and lifts dysfunctional at different stations particularly at, Faizabad, NHA and G13 Western stops,” she added. Overcrowding of Metro buses during peak hours is another pressing issue for daily commuters. Buses frequently operate at full capacity, leaving many commuters waiting for extended periods to catch a ride.

“I love that the buses are more frequent, but during rush hour, they’re still overcrowded,” said Noreen Asif, a Shamsabad resident who relies on Metro Bus service to commute to her job at a private firm in Blue Area. “I often have to wait for the second or third bus because there’s no space to get on.” Muhammad Talha, a student at NUST University, said the service should be connected to across city areas to help commuters.

More feeder buses should be run from every nook and cranny of the twin cities especially, to connect Islamabad Expressway from Rawat to Faisal mosque. Talha also noted that the rural areas were still lacking proper transport service. “The blue line services should be extended up to Rawat,” he added. Usman Khan, an elderly passenger, expressed his concerns while using the Orange Line Bus service. “It’s an uphill task to cross the Srinagar Highway,” he said, highlighting that heavy traffic and fast-moving vehicles on the highway pose significant risks for pedestrians, attempting to cross the road as some of the stations lacking double-way access.

Shakeel Abbas, a traveller en-route to Islamabad International Airport, voiced his concerns about the fare disparity on the same route. “It is beyond my understanding why there is a different fare while commuting on the Orange Line Bus service,” Abbas stated. He recounted his experience, explaining that he paid 50 rupees from Faiz Ahmed Faiz to the N5 stop, and then again paid 90 rupees from N5 to Airport.

“I have to change the bus and have to pay 90 rupees more”, he highlighted the anomaly of the fare structure. When contacted, Mujtaba Ali, an official at G13 station said, We are committed to addressing these issues and improving the overall travel experience for everyone using the Metro Bus Service. He explained that a separate service operates from the N5 stop to Islamabad International Airport, noting that its fare is high due to the long route and the fact that buses leave every half hour, which is a 24-hour service.

The commuters called for prioritising the renovation of essential infrastructure, including escalators, benches, and lifts. They emphasize the need for improved security measures for metro buses and insisted that its services must not be suspended in any case as it perturb commuters. Additionally, an increase in the existing fleet of metro buses is crucial to accommodate the growing number of passengers.

A senior official of Punjab Mass-transit Authority (PMA) told APP that a fleet of all 68 air-conditioned buses are operating on their routes and the rehabilitation of the corridor from Saddar to Faizabad was underway. The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) was executing the project. When contacted, RDA spokesman Mohammad Irfan said the construction work on the elevated track would be completed in the stipulated time.

He said, 60 per cent work has been completed and the remaining is in progress. The Metro Bus in Islamabad operates on four distinct routes. The total length of the Red Line is approximately 23 kilometres, with 8.6 kilometres elevated, 10 kilometres at grade level, and a four-kilometre trench. On the other hand, Orange Line is 29.6 kilometres long, beginning from Faiz Ahmad Faiz and ending at the Islamabad Airport. Covering the route from Koral Chowk to PIMS, the Blue Line Bus Service is 20 kilometres long and the length of Green Line is 15 kilometers which commences from Bara Kahu and conclude at PIMS.