Karachi: The Sindh government has announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind Pink bus service in Karachi from February 1, only for woman commuters in the city.
The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by Sindh Information and Transport Minister, Sharjeel Inam Memon, and attended by other officials.
Memon chaired the meeting at his residence as he is yet to fully resume charge of his official functions after surviving a heart attack in Hyderabad on Saturday last.
The women-only service will be a new addition to the People’s Bus Service of the Sindh government already operational in the provincial capital and Hyderabad.
Earlier in the month, Pakistan’s first electric bus service was launched in Karachi under the same initiative.
The Transport Minister said the new service would especially facilitate woman workforce and female students.
He said the buses on the first route of the Pink bus service would operate from Model Colony, in the suburbs of the city, to Merewether Tower in downtown Karachi via Sharea Faisal, the busiest road of the provincial capital.
The Pink buses will be available to the passengers every 20 minutes during morning and evening rush hours. During the rest of the day, the buses will operate every hour.
Memon asked the officials concerned to launch the People’s Bus Service in Sukkur city on January 29. He also directed the Sindh Mass Transit Authority to make sure that the People’s Bus Service become operational on four more routes in Karachi.
He also asked the transport officials to survey all routes of the People’s Bus Service in Karachi to ensure that buses were available to commuters at the desired frequency, while roads in the city were in excellent condition for the smooth operation of the modern public transport carriers.
Memon said the Sindh government of the Pakistan People’s Party stood fully committed to modernising public transportation service in all major urban centres of the province.
