LAHORE, Aug 24: The Punjab Metro Bus Authority is likely to receive 19 new buses from China next week.

These buses will be run on the 27km Metro Bus System (MBS) route from Gajjumatta to Shahdara.

The authority had asked Volvo China in March this year to send 19 more buses to add to the earlier fleet of 45 buses.

Officials told Dawn on Saturday that the new buses had upgraded engines, automated doors and other facilities.

Punjab Metro Bus Authority General Manager (Operations) Uzair Shah said the arrival of new buses would ease rush on MBS route and increase frequency of buses at all 27 stops.

“We were expecting these buses last month, but the consignment was delayed due to unavailability of a vessel,” Shah said.

The official said studies on two new routes -- Thokar Niaz Beg to MAO College and Azadi Chowk to GT Road via Railway Station -- had been completed and now consultancy services had been sought from reputed firms for transport modelling and feasibility studies for mass transit systems in Faisalabad, Multan, Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

ACTION: Lahore Commissioner Imdadullah Bosal on Saturday sought action against the officials showing laziness in completion of the land record computerisation project.

Presiding over a meeting, he said the project was aimed at benefiting the public at large and the officials must work with full energy to complete it. He directed district coordination officers to convene meetings on a daily basis to review the targets and facilitate the staff working on the project.

Lahore, Sheikhupura, Kasur and Nankana Sahib district coordination officers attended the meeting. — Khalid Hasnain