KARACHI: Sindh government has once again suspended the operations of People’s Bus Service in Karachi owing to lack of funds and incompetent administration, ARY NEWS reported on Tuesday citing sources.
According to sources, 10 air-conditioned buses were launched in the city by the provincial government a year back, which covered a route between Dawood Chowrangi in Landhi to Tower.
However, sources privy to the matter revealed, that the bus service was suspended a year after its launch due to lack of funds and negligence of the administration.
The sources within the provincial transport department also confirmed to ARY NEWS regarding its closure.
This is not the first time that the operations of the People’s Bus Service are being suspended as in April 2019, the operation was suspended due to financial losses faced by its operator.
According to the report, the 10 air-conditioned buses titled ‘People’s Bus Service’ was launched on April 15, 2018, by the Sindh government through an operator Daewoo Bus Service. However, exactly after one year, the service ceased to operate due to losses suffered by the operator.
The administration at that time said that they were facing losses of Rs 300,000 to Rs 400,000 every month. ‘Our fares were not increased despite a hike in diesel prices’, the management says.
The operator said passengers were being given a travel service for a 40-kilometer route. He also pointed out that the Sindh government didn’t extend the contract which they had promised to do at the time of launching the bus service.
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The Daewoo Service said it was bearing all financial responsibility of expenses for the bus staff to fuel. The management said it also extended its apologies to the public for closing the service.
The company had also obtained route permits to run these buses from Dawood Chowrangi to Tower via Sharah-e-Faisal. The operation of the buses would start at 6am and continued till 10pm.
