KARACHI, Sept 27: Governor Mohammadmian Soomro launched four large CNG AC buses imported from China at a ceremony held at the Governor’s House here on Friday.

These buses would begin their test run in the metropolis from the next week on various routes.

Talking to newsmen, the governor said that by the middle of next year more than 500 buses would be plying and that the number of buses would increase rapidly.

Mr. Soomro said initially four buses have been imported from China but later on these buses would be manufactured locally.

He said these would be operated in Karachi as well as on inter-city routes and where there is a market.

Earlier, at a ceremony at Urdu College, the City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, pledged to provide 29 new buses to the metropolis by Dec 31.

Nazim said large buses have proved successful in all large cities of the world and without these the transport problems of Karachi cannot be resolved.

He said the city needs at least 10,000 buses for providing better facilities to the citizens. This, however, cannot be made possible without the cooperation of private sector.

He said more than 20 firms have been contacted for operating transport in metropolis and they ply standard and large-sized buses. He said that expatriate Pakistanis have assured of their cooperation.

Nazim said two of Karachi’s transporters are also invited to bring large new buses.

He said small buses and mini-buses do not ply in any of mega-cities but it is quite unfortunate that mini-buses, coaches and very old model buses continue to dominate public transport system of Karachi.

For the improvement of our transport system, large buses preferably with CNG are needed in Karachi, he stated.

He informed about his meetings with local transporters who expressed concern regarding future of their business, whom he suggested to form a company amongst themselves and participate in UTS, since large buses are more comfortable for commuters, carry more passengers as compared with mini-buses and do not cause traffic nuisance.

He praised the bus company for announcing a 75 per cent discount on normal fare for disabled persons and 50 per cent for the students.

He said that through Karachi is a large city, but not all its residents are rich, there are as much as 538 katchi abadis in Karachi, which account for about 50 per cent of the city’s population, therefore, he requested the investors to keep in view this aspect also and make reasonable profits in their business.

Similarly, he called upon the KESC and the SSGC to reconsider their spate of increasing charges of utility services in Karachi, which is getting beyond the affordable limits of an ordinary citizen, before the residents are forced to raise their voice against these departments.

Though there are fourteen participants for UTS but Green Bus company is the only firm among them, which has physically brought its buses in the field even ahead of the schedule of the transport and communication department.

Routes will be decided by the committee headed by DCO Karachi, while its Secretary is DO Public Transport of TCD and its other members are Salim Azher as representative of Nazim Karachi, EDO TCD, Dr. Tahir Soomro, DG KMTP, Malik Zaheerul Islam, DO Public transport management, TCD, DO Law, DO Finance and a representative of army monitoring team.—PPI/APP