The first batch of buses under the Rs24 billion Green Line Project has reached Karachi as the vehicles are expected to hit the City roads in a month or two, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
The wait of the people of Karachi was finally over as the offloading of the Green Line buses was under way at the Karachi Port on Sunday.
The offloading ceremony of the first shipment of 40 buses imported by the federal government for Karachi Green Line Rapid Bus Service was due to be graced by Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Federal Ministers Ali Haider Zaidi, Asad Umar and Amin ul Haq. While, Nadeem Lodhi, CEO, Sindh Infrastructure Development Company and other officials of the relevant departments were also due to attend the event.
Due to the poor condition of public transport in Karachi, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had laid the foundation stone of the Green Line project in February 2016, which was to be completed by the end of 2017. The initial cost of the project was estimated at Rs16.85 billion, however, at the suggestion of the Sindh government, the route of the project was extended by another 10 km, which increased the cost to Rs24 billion.
The first batch of these buses has reached Karachi while the second batch of 40 more buses is also expected to arrive in the next one to two months.
It should be noted that the Green Line Bus project consists of 20 stops, which will start from Powerhouse Chowrangi North Karachi and end at the Numaish Chowrangi. The project will provide daily transport to 300,000 people.
Reporter Aadia Naz