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Islamabad is set to receive an advanced bus service with the arrival of 30 electric buses from China next month, as revealed by officials from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) during a meeting chaired by Chairman Anwarul Haq. The CDA plans to import a total of 160 electric buses from China, with the initial batch of 30 scheduled to reach Pakistan in January and the remainder to follow in February and March. The buses are expected to be operational on 13 routes within the federal capital.
Chairman CDA emphasized the need for timely delivery of the buses, and the official launch of the bus service is anticipated shortly after the arrival of the first fleet. Concurrently, the CDA plans to commence the construction of the main bus depot at Zero Point along Srinagar Highway towards the H-8 side in the coming days, with an estimated construction period of six months. Additionally, three more bus depots are planned for construction.
Read more : Islamabad Set to Introduce 160 Electric Buses for Metro
In October, it was decided that the depot construction would be carried out under 42(f) of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules, allowing only government-run construction firms to participate in the bidding process for the project’s swift completion.
The National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) has been entrusted with operating the buses on the 13 designated routes, receiving Rs. 306 to Rs. 331 per kilometer from the CDA.
The designated routes for the electric bus service include:
1. Police Foundation/Orange Line Station to Red Line Faiz Ahmed Faiz Station in I-8
2. Allama Iqbal Station to Red Line Potohar Station
3. Pims to Secretariat
4. D-12 to G-10
5. F-11 to Red Line F-8 Station
6. G-11 to Pims
7. Aabpara to Tramri Chowk
8. Nilor to Khanna Pul
9. Pirwadhai Chowk to Faizabad
10. B-17 to 26 Number Chungi
11. I-16 to 26 Number
It is worth noting that the initiative to launch the bus service was directed by former Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his tenure, where he inaugurated Orange Line, Green Line, and Blue Line metro bus services.
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