KARACHI – Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved the procurement of 200 buses: 100 for the provincial capital and 100 for other five districts of Sindh. The buses would ply on designated routes.
The proposal for the bus service had been put forward by the transport department.
He was presiding over a meeting of transport department officials here at 7thfloor of New Sindh Secretariat on Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Transport Awais Qadir Shah, P&D Chairman Mohammad Waseem, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani, Transport Secretary Abbas Detho and others.
Briefing the chief minister, Minister for Transport Awais Qadir Shah said that according to the plan he had submitted to him, an international tender would be floated to purchase 200 city buses which would ply on the roads of Karachi and in other five districts. He added the port city would be given 100 buses.
He further said private companies would be running these buses, and the selection of these parties would follow a transparent procedure.
“The provincial government would select important routes of the city for these buses, and their fares would be fixed,” the minister informed.
The chief minister directed the transport minister to submit a detailed plan of the project to him such as details of the routes.
He also directed the transport department to expedite the process and complete it within seven months.
Truck Stand:
The government has already decided to shift the truck stand from Mauripur to Northern bypass.
Senior Member of Board of Revenue Qazi Parvez told the chief minister that the land had been identified, but its entry in the revenue record was yet to be made. The chief minister directed the SMBR to finalize all the legal requirements within next 15 days and report to him.
Inter-city Bus Terminal:
The chief minister also ordered the concerned department to build inter-city bus terminals along Super Highway/motorway over an area of 100 acres.
The chief minister said when he had already approved the summary, then why the transfer of land had been delayed.
He directed the SMBR to transfer title of the land and report to him within 15 days.
Bio Gas Plant:
The chief minister said that it had already been decided to build a Bio Gas Plant at Bhains Colony under the Karachi Bus Service Project.
The chief minister directed the minister for transport to hold meetings with the local government minister and Karachi mayor in this regard.
“This matter has already been delayed, therefore, it must be decided within next 15 days,” the CM urged the transport minister.
Driving Licenses Branch:
Transport Minister Awais Qadir Shah told the chief minister that summary for the transfer of driving licenses branches from police to transport department had been submitted to him.
The chief minister said that he would approve the summary, adding he wanted the driving license branch should be operated on professional basis. He directed the transport department to open the driving school.
The chief minister said that he was keen to provide best transport facilities to people of the city and others districts of the province at the earliest.
