KARACHI: Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inaugurated the Peoples Bus Service in Karachi on Monday to facilitate the people with modern transport.

Bilawal had a ride on the bus himself as well to review the facilities. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Information and Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, and other members of the provincial cabinet were also present at the launching ceremony.

In the first phase, the 30-bus fleet will run on a 29-kilometre-long route from Model Colony to Merewether Tower via Sharah-e-Faisal and I.I. Chundrigar Road.  There are seven routes have been devised and at least 240 buses will be run phase wise.

In a statement, Provincial Minister for Transport Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the fare of the People’s Bus Service will be from 25 to 50 rupees.

The bus service project has six other routes which include North Karachi to Indus Hospital, Korangi, Nagan Chowrangi to Singer Chowrangi, Korangi Industrial Area, North Karachi to Dockyard, Surjani Town to PAF Base Masroor, Gulshan-e-Bihar, Orangi Town to Singer Chowrangi and Mosamiyat to Baldia Town.

READ MORE: Peoples Bus Service to be launched in Larkana on June 21

Karachi (June 27, 2022) Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari unveils the plaque to inaugurate Intra-district Peoples Bus Service at Fatima Jinnah Road. He is flanked by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon, Labour Minister Saeed Ghani & others. pic.twitter.com/beGOZy4Eg1

— Sindh Chief Minister House (@SindhCMHouse) June 27, 2022

It may be remembered that the Peoples’ Bus Service is a project separate from the network of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines.

The test drive of the newly imported modern diesel-hybrid buses to ply under the bus service commenced in Karachi on June 4 on one of the designated routes.

The Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) is making preparations  to start the operation of buses on the rest of the designated routes in Karachi by August 14 this year.