Karachi people are ready to get the first mass transit bus service

KARACHI: Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate today (Friday) the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, the first public transport system in the port city.

At a press conference together with Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar said that commercial mass transit operations will start from December 25 after a trial of about two weeks.

The route and the stations

The bus service will start at KESC Powerhouse Chowrangi in Surjani City and end at the municipal park after passing through Nagan Chowrangi, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad and Gurumandir, with 25 stations along its route. The bus service will serve 135,000 passengers per day.

The 80 buses will be operated by 200 drivers who have completed their training.

About 22 stations have been completed between Surjani City and Numaish Chowrangi. Three other stations have not yet been built to extend the service to the Municipal Park.

The government has yet to announce ticket prices for the Green Line BRT project. However, according to experts, the government will set minimum prices of 15 rupees and maximum 55 rupees for the bus service.

Delays

The Green Line project has suffered several setbacks over the years since it was inaugurated in February 2016 by then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The project was originally estimated to be completed in one year at an estimated cost of Rs16.85 billion funded by the federal government.

Read more: KARACHI GREEN LINE BUS SERVICE ROUTE, RATES: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

However, it took more than five years and Rs 35 billion to finish and years of frustration, stress and painful experiences for hundreds of thousands of Karachi residents.

The Green Line project

The Karachi Green Line BRT project with intersections is 22 km long, including 12.7 km elevated, 10.9 km on grade and 422 meters underground, and has 25 stations.

The 2.5 km long phase II common corridor from Gurumandir to Municipal Park has two underpasses on MA Jinnah Road.

The modern underground bus terminal with parking and the commercial mezzanine was also built at the Numaish intersection.

Construction work Phase I of the project began in 2016.

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