RAWALPINDI: Electric buses launched on various routes in the garrison city are proving to be a success with the daily ridership reaching 25,000 passengers.

As many as 35 more buses will be added to the fleet in phase II within a month or two.

Talking to Dawn, Deputy Commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema said the number of passengers in the electric buses on four routes had increased from 9,400 to 25,000 daily within a week.

He said that on the first day the number of passengers was 9,400 which increased to 13,914 on the second day, 18,000 on the third, 18,827 on the forth and now it was 25,000 daily.

He said the number of passengers was expected to further increase.

He said with the addition of 35, the number of buses in the fleet will increase to 80.

The establishment of a depot will be completed soon on Peshawar Road after which the number of buses will further increase. He said that a total of 10 routes had been allocated for the electric buses and at present buses were plying on four routes. The remaining six routes will be opened after completing the development work on Kutchery Chowk and other roads.

In reply to a question, the DC said people were already availing of the facility on four routes and the fare of the electric buses was Rs20 per person.

It is free for women, elderly people and students, so the ridership on other modes of transport was reducing.

He said the district administration and other civic bodies had been asked to ensure no encroachments on these routes so the buses will ply smoothly and maximum people will get benefit from it. He said traffic police had been asked to remove all hurdles on the way and there would be no traffic rush on the roads. He said that the traffic police had deployed extra personnel on the roads.

A total of seven buses are being operated from Saddar to Qabristan Chowk at Misrial Road via Qasim Market and Shalley Valley (7 kilometres). Eight buses ply on the second route from Fawara Chowk to Koral Chowk via Liaquat Bagh, Sir Syed Road and Old Airport Road (11.3 kilometres).

Seven buses are on the third route from Saddar Metro Bus Station to Munawar Colony via Tulsa Road. Moreover, 14 buses are running on the fourth route from Marrir Metro Bus Station to Motorway Chowk via The Mall and Peshawar Road (13.1 kilometres).

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2025