KARACHI, May 15: Eleven transport companies have been operating 242 large buses on 16 different routes in the metropolis under the urban transport scheme launched by the city government’s transport and communication department. Officials said that seven more companies were planning to add 220 large buses to the existing 242 buses bringing a total number of 462 buses in a couple of months.

However, the number of buses may go up to 477 after M/s Neelam Corporation, which had already been operating 10 buses on the UTS-11 route from Khokhrapar to Hawksbay, brings 15 more buses this month.

The Green Bus Company was operating 28 large buses before its agreement was revoked by the transport department on poor performance. The company had been serving two routes i.e. UTS-4 and UTS-19.

The transport and communication officials said that the UTS-4 route, Surjani Town to Seaview, has now been allocated to the M/s QFS International, which has started operating 10 buses on the route. On UTS-9 and UTS-10, the QFS had already been operating 32 buses.

Besides, the officials said that M/s Allied Services had been operating 20 buses each on UTS-20 route from Al-Asif Square to Merewether Tower and UTS-3 from Surjani Town to Korangi.

M/s Worldwide Motors had been operating 30 buses on UTS-8 route from Gulshan-i-Hadeed to Merewether Tower. M/s Al-Aziz Route Transport Company had been running 25 buses from Khokhrapar to Merewether Tower, they added.

Ten buses were plying on UTS-6 route from Malir Cantonment to Merewether Tower and 15 others on UTS-7 from Malir Cantonment to Karachi Cantonment by the M/s Hilton Trans. M/s Trans Livia has been operating 15 buses on UTS-21 route from North Karachi to Sea View and 10 buses on UTS-24 route from KDA Scheme 33 to Merewether Tower.

M/s Airport Limousine Service is operating 10 buses on UTS-26 from Landhi to Saddar. M/s Altaf Shahrukh is operating 10 buses on UTS-5 from Surjani Town to Gulbai. M/s Al-Madina Transport is operating with 10 buses on UTS-13 route from Khokhrapar to Ittehad Town.

The officials said that only two companies — M/s Hilton Trans and M/s Trans Livia — brought air-conditioned buses and rest of the companies were operating with non-A/c.

They said that agreement were signed with M/s Taj Lines Transport, Zainco Urban Transport Service, Karachi Unique Express, Swede-Bus Pakistan, Qayyum Enterprises, Al-Rehman Transport Company and Gul Road Transport Company. These companies would bring their buses and the routes would be allocated to them in near future.

About the complaints of commuters travelling in the UTS buses, the officials said that different complaints were received such as overcharging, rash driving, not stopping at designated stops, violating designated routes, etc. They said that a vigilance team was formed on the directives of the City Nazim, which would pay surprise visits, and take actions against those found involved in any violation.