KARACHI, July 9: All illegal inter-city and inter-province bus stands in the city will be removed after the Sindh governor gives his approval to a plan to redevelop the four depots of the defunct Karachi Transport Corporation.
Transporters operating long-distance buses would be bound to use these depots as terminuses/bus stands and they would not to be allowed to establish bus stands anywhere else. This would meet the people’s long-standing demand for the removal of inter-city bus stands from congested areas, as they not only added to the traffic chaos but also caused many other problems, sources in the transport department said.
They said the city government had put forward the plan, which had been approved by the Sindh minister of transport, and it had been sent to the Sindh governor for final approval.
When contacted, the EDO Transport and Communications in the city government, Dr Tahir Soomro, confirmed the decision about the redevelopment of four bus depots, saying the city government conducted a survey and identified four bus depots of the KTC: Malir depot, Orangi depot, Gulistan-i-Jauhar depot and Model Colony depot, which were suitable for inter-city bus terminuses/bus stands.
After these terminuses began functioning, the inter-city buses would be bound to use these terminuses/bus stands and all illegal inter-city/inter-province bus stands, which numbered about 150, would not be at their present locations, including the major ones at the Old Sabzimandi, Lines Area on M. A. Jinnah Road and Lyari, he said.
He said in order to streamline the movement of inter-city/inter-province buses entering/leaving Karachi from three gateways, ie, Super Highway, National Highway and RCD Highway, and to reduce traffic congestion on city roads caused by the illegal parking of a large number of such buses on roads, the KTC depots depots would be used as terminuses/bus stands for inter-city/inter-province buses.
Transporters would have to develop workshops, storage, maintenance, fuelling and servicing facilities at the KTC depots on a self-finance basis. Transporters and passengers would get all facilities at these bus stands, Dr Soomro said.
Referring to a comprehensive report prepared by the Karachi Mass Transit Cell in February 2000, he said the report visualized complete planning, construction and management of inter-city and inter-province bus stands by using selected properties of the KTC.
Quoting a survey conducted in 1999, he said about 878 buses daily entered/ left Karachi through the three gateways. About 550 large buses/coasters were parked at any given time during the day in the city. If Rs300 from a large bus and Rs250 from a coaster was charged as “Terminal Fee,” it would generate Rs54.45 million a year. This would be besides the route permit charges already being realized by the RTAs and the PTA. He hoped that after the completion of the redevelopment work and other facilities, the income was expected to be Rs71.73 million a year.
Dr Soomro said it had been proposed that since funds would be needed for the initial development and commissioning of the bus stands, the city government would invite the private sector to bid for development, management and operation of the facilities under the Terminal Management Committee consisting of the Sindh government, city government, police and representatives of transporters to ensure that the revenues collected were distributed in accordance with the agreed formula.
According to the draft agreement the successful bidder would develop a bus stand to its optimum size.