ISLAMABAD: The city managers on Tuesday directed the wing concerned of the CDA to utilise all the 160 electric buses on existing routes besides opening new ones to facilitate the citizens.

Out of the total 160, currently about 70 buses are functional. However, during a meeting, CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa directed the concerned wing to utilise all the buses.

However, it is yet to be seen as how many buses would be put on roads, as officials said due to the shortage of charging stations it would be difficult to operate all the buses. Currently, the CDA has 16 charging stations which, according to officials, are inadequate for charging all the buses.

Meanwhile, a new depot is being developed at Zero Point where new charging facilities would be established.

Concerned wing should select new routes with high demand to ensure maximum utility, says chairman

The CDA has launched the bus service on eight routes, but the public is not fully informed about the facility as no written literature is available about the buses and its routes.

“There is a need to provide all types of information about the bus service. Booklets should be available at the airport, railway stations, bus stops, embassies and all shopping malls,” said an official of the CDA.

Speaking to Dawn, the official said a mobile app service should also be introduced for booking tickets. He said on a priority basis the CDA should install information boards on all bus stops to guide passengers about the arrival of buses. A bus should be available at a stop after every 10 minutes. “People don’t know the timings of the buses even on the busiest Park Road, where a bus arrives after half an hour,” he added.

When contacted, the CDA chairman said the concerned wing had been directed to provide booklets at all important places in accordance with international practices. “An app is also being developed,” he said and added that all buses would be operated to facilitate citizens. “I am aware of the issue and have already directed the concerned wing in this regard,” he said.

However, an officer of the CDA said buses were being operated on seven routes through a fleet of 10 buses on each route while more buses would be added to the fleet of Park Road within a few days.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by the CDA stated that the meeting on the operations of electric feeder buses was chaired by the CDA chairman and attended by members, senior officials from the National Radio Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC), the secretary Islamabad Transport Authority and other relevant authorities.

A briefing was given to the chairman on the routes and operations of the electric feeder buses.

“The chairman directed the immediate operationalisation of all buses included in the feeder routes project,” it said.

The chairman emphasised selecting routes with high demand to ensure maximum utility. Additionally, he instructed that daily ridership and operational expenses of the feeder buses be closely monitored.

Moreover, the bus terminals should be developed as state-of-the-art facilities, incorporating digital boards for advertising purposes to generate additional revenue. The CDA chief instructed the relevant authorities to develop strategies to minimise reliance on subsidies and identify efficient, high-demand routes for the feeder buses.

It is relevant to note that the CDA’s contractor NRTC procured 160 buses. According to an agreement, CDA pays Rs306 to Rs331 per km to the contractor as the fare besides logistic support such as bus stops, charging points and routes.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2025