KARACHI, Nov 16: An inter-city bus terminus on the Hub River Road in Mochko will be ready for use in three months, said city transport officials on Tuesday.

The ground breaking ceremony to build the inter-city bus terminus in Yusuf Goth was held by the City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, on Saturday night and attended by officials and transport operators.

Officials said that the terminus would be built on 10 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs39.47 million. The city government was planning to secure more land for expanding the terminus. They said that the terminus would be equipped with all necessary facilities including workshops, tyre repair shops, banks, a post office, waiting rooms, bathrooms, etc.

They said that all Balochistan-bound inter-city buses would use the Yusuf Goth terminus.

At present, various terminuses at the old Sabzi Mandi on University Road, Lea Market, Mewa Shah, etc. were located inside the city.

These inter-city buses travelled in the metropolis causing traffic problems, and noise and air pollution.

They said that a shuttle bus service for various parts of the city would also be introduced from the terminus. Besides, taxi and rickshaw stands would be available to facilitate passengers.

In the second phase, another bus terminus for inter-city traffic would be built on the National Highway on a land of 15 acres. While in the third phase, an inter-city bus terminus on 45 acres of land would be constructed on the Super Highway.

Land for the purpose had been secured, the officials said, and that encroachment on the land along the National Highway had been removed.

They said that some 250 inter-city bus terminuses were located at various points in the metropolis including in a busy area in Saddar near Capri Cinema.

The number of registered inter-city buses with the government were 3,500 but 2,000 buses enter the city daily causing huge air and noise pollution, traffic jams, and interruption in the smooth flow of traffic.

They claimed that the issue to build inter-city bus terminuses had been pending for the past one decade.

However, the city government had taken the initiative to facilitate commuters and the motorists.

The ban on inter-city buses entering the city was imperative to ensure the improvement in vehicular movement within the metropolis, they added.