RAWALPINDI: Suspension of electric buses on two routes along Peshawar Road due to construction of two underpasses has created problems for commuters as no proper alternative public transport is available.
On the recommendation of Rawalpindi traffic police, the Punjab Mass Transit Authority suspended electric buses on two routes, Saddar to Bhatta Chowk and Marrir Chowk to Motorway Chowk, Chungi No. 26.
A total of seven buses ply on the Saddar-Bhatta Chowk route, while 14 buses operate on the Marrir Chowk-Motorway Chowk route. The Punjab government had provided relief to commuters by allowing women, senior citizens and students to travel free, while men were charged Rs25 per person.
After the launch of the bus service, most people travelled by these buses and other forms of public transport disappeared from the route. However, suspension of the buses has created problems for commuters as Chingchi rickshaws are now operating between Saddar and Bhatta Chowk, charging Rs50 per person.
A senior Regional Transport Authority official told Dawn that the buses were suspended after the traffic police refused to manage traffic on the route, with Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Farhan Aslam writing a letter in this regard.
He said the CTO stated that due to construction work, traffic was currently being diverted from Abid Majeed turn towards Convoy Road to Qasim Market slip turn and on the service road from Rafay Mall towards Chairing Cross to Maryam Hospital.
He quoted the CTO as saying that the road space on these routes was comparatively narrow and had limited traffic-carrying capacity. The Green Electric Buses were wider and their movement on such restricted road space could cause traffic congestion and increase the risk of accidents.
In view of the situation, the traffic police requested the authorities concerned to temporarily suspend the Green Bus routes until completion of the ongoing construction work on Peshawar Road for the convenience of road commuters and to avoid any untoward incident.
He said the divisional administration had asked for suspension of the routes until completion of the construction work, which was expected to take at least three months.
When contacted, Punjab Mass Transit Authority Operations Manager Wajid Saleem said the electric buses on the two routes attracted a large number of people and the section was the busiest.
He said buses operated from Marrir Chowk to Chungi No. 26 via Peshawar Road every 10 minutes as most people used the service. He said the buses would be relaunched without delay once the construction work was completed.
On the other hand, people expressed resentment and said the Punjab government had provided the facility for a large number of commuters but the local bureaucracy had created hurdles.
“Schools closed, buses suspended on Peshawar Road from Chairing Cross to Saddar and it created problems for the local residents of the cantonment areas. Punjab government was working hard for the provision of facilities but administration came with ideas to stop these facilities,” said Muhammad Abdullah, a resident of Chur Chowk.
Raja Farhan, a resident of Allahabad, said he had to travel from Chur Chowk to Saddar by Bykea or other modes instead of proper public transport. He said the administration should have made alternative arrangements for commuters.
Muhammad Qasim, a resident of Shalley Valley, said his daughter travelled to college in Saddar by electric bus daily and it was a safe mode of transport for women and girls. Now, she had to travel by Chingchi rickshaw, paying Rs50 for a one-way journey, and found it difficult to travel in the rush.
Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2026
