BEFORE the start of the metro bus project in Lahore, it was reported that the mayor of Istanbul, on a visit to Lahore, had donated 100 (later, reported ‘refurbished’) articulated buses.

We were to buy our further requirements from Volvo’s plant in China.

Subsequent reports said that some of our personnel were sent to Turkey to work on the refurbishment work, which also involved converting them from right-hand to left-hand drive, and also to understand the engineering mechanism, as well as having hands-on experience of driving them.

However, recent reports say that out of a total of 45 buses that were to come, six, and now 20, have already reached Lahore and all are set for plying as soon as the dedicated track is ready.

Could an authorised official in the Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency Tepa/LDA please clarify the apparently conflicting figures?

AMIR ALILahore