People’s Bus Service is a project by the Sindh Government under the authority of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority. The project aims to solve the long-withstanding problem of public transport in the city. Thousands of commuters in Karachi face difficulties on the road every day, as a result of the chaotic and disorganised public transportation system.
The gap between public demand and the number of buses on the road is getting wider; since most Karachiites do not have their own cars or motorcycles, and cannot afford taxis on a regular basis. The majority of them rely on buses and coaches as the primary mode of transportation. Bus travel is comparatively more affordable and it can serve the needs of people from all social classes, from low-income labourers to middle-class white-collar workers.
However, the current transportation system requires riders to change multiple buses in order to reach their destination. Moreover, the city’s buses are unreliable, improperly maintained, worn out, and lack most safety features like emergency exits. Another problem is the availability of limited seats on these buses. Therefore, the majority of the time, the buses are packed above their capacity, forcing passengers to cling to the door handles or sit on the bus roof.
According to the World Bank, there needs to be one bus with 100 seats for every 1,500 passengers. Hence, with 22 million people living in Karachi, there should be 20,448, 35-seater minibuses and 5,566, 50-seater buses. However, considerably fewer buses are currently running on the roads of Karachi.
In its 2021-2022 Fiscal year budget, the Sindh government allocated Rs. 5.2 billion with aid from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank for the expansion of public transportation. It includes funding for the Red Line and Yellow Line projects.
Graana.com has compiled a guide about the People’s Bus Service below, including the routes, timings, and fare rates.
About People’s Bus Service
The federal and provincial government’s introduction of the Green Line and Orange Line BRT projects proved to be a significant step, leading to continuous improvements in the city’s transportation system. Red Line Metrobus systems are also anticipated to launch soon.
In addition, the provincial government recently launched the People’s Bus Service in Karachi and Larkana, two of Sindh’s biggest cities, in addition to these extensive BRT initiatives. PBS Karachi was inaugurated by Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto on June 27, 2022.
There are 140 buses in total, out of which 130 will be used for Karachi’s first phase of service and the remaining for Larkana.
Although a single bus of People’s Bus Service can accommodate 80 passengers, the Sindh Mass Transit Authority has given permission to accommodate an additional 31. For special or impaired customers, there will be two dedicated seats.
Operational Routes of People’s Bus Service
The project was initiated in two phases. During the 1st phase, a total of 6 routes were operational. However, during the 2nd phase, the rest of the 5 routes were also opened to the public. The following are these routes:
- Route 1 – Model Colony to Tower
- Route 2 – North Karachi to Landhi
- Route 3 – Nagan Chowrangi to Singer Chowrangi
- Route 4 – North Karachi to Dockyard
- Route 5 – Surjani Town to Masroor Base
- Route 6 – Gulshan-e-Bihar Orangi to Singer Chowrangi
- Route 7 – Mosamiyat to Baldia Town
- Route 8 – Larkana City
- Route 9 – Gulshan-e-Hadeed to Tower
- Route 10 – Numaish to Sea View
- Route 11 – Ziauddin Hospital to Meeran Naka, Lyari
The length of these routes is different and most of these pass through the densely populated areas of Karachi. Let’s have a detailed look:
Route 1 – Model Colony to Tower
It is a 29.5 km long route and has 38 stations in total. Model Colony Gate, Nata Khan Bridge, Drigh Road Station, PAF Base Faisal, Laal Kothi, Karsaz, Nursery, FTC, Regent Plaza, JPMC, Cantt Station, Metropole, Regal Chowk, Aram Bagh and II Chundrigar Road are some of the stations on this route.
Route 2 – North Karachi to Landhi
This is a 32.9 km route with 30 stations. Nagan Chowrangi, Shafiq Morr, Sohrab Goth, Gulshan Chowrangi, NIPA, Johar Morr, COD, Drigh Road Station, Colony Gate, Shah Faisal Colony, Singer Chowrangi, and Landhi Road are some of the important stations on its route.
Route 3 – Nagan Chowrangi to Singer Chowrangi
It is a 33 km long route and passes through Karachi’s most prominent areas. 5 Star Chowrangi, KDA Chowrangi, Nazimabad Eid Gah Ground, Liaquatabad 10, Essa Nagri, Civic Centre, National Stadium, Karsaz, Nursery, FTC, Korangi Road, and KPT Interchange up to Shan Chowrangi are some of the important stations along its route.
Route 4 – North Karachi to Dockyard
This route passes through Mosamiyat, University Road, Motorway M9, Ayesha Manzil, Lalu Khait, Guru Mandir, Empress Market, Sindh High Court, I.I Chandigarh Road, ending at Dock Yard.
Route 5 – Surjani Town to Masroor Base
Surjani Town, Shafiq Morr, KMDC, Ziauddin Chowrangi, KDA Chowrangi, Musa Colony, Manghopir, SITE Area, and Gulbai are all stops along the 28.2-kilometre route from Surjani Town to Masroor Base.
Route 6 – Gulshan-e-Bihar Orangi to Singer Chowrangi
In addition to Orangi Town, Banaras, Paposh Nagar, SITE Area, Golimar, Garden, PIB Colony, Jail Chowrangi, Bahadurabad, Baloch Colony, Mahmoodabad, Manzoor Colony, DHA Phase 1, KPT Interchange, and Shan Chowrangi, this route covers several other stops along the 29.6 kilometre-long route from Gulshan-e-Bihar Orangi to Singer Chowrangi.
Route 7 – Mosamiyat to Baldia Town
The route from Mosamiyat to Baldia Town covers a distance of 28.9 km, and includes Gulzar-e-Hijri, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Federal B Area, North Nazimabad, Orangi Town, and Qaddafi Stadium.
Route 8 – Larkana City
The route includes stops at Larkana Junction, Civil Hospital, Shahi Bazaar, Naudero Chowk, Municipal Stadium, 7 Naka Bridge, Abro Colony, Central Jail up to the Larkana Depot.
Route 9 – Gulshan-e-Hadeed to Tower
From Gulshan-e-Hadeed to Tower, Route No. 9 travels 36 kilometres through the following locations: Allah Wali Chowrangi, Steel Town, Port Qasim Chowrangi, Manzil Petrol Pump, Quaidabad, Malir City, Malir Halt, Colony Gate, Natha Khan Bridge, Drig Road Station, PAF Base Faisal, Lal Kothi, Karsaz, Nursery, FTC, Metropole, and Jang Press.
Route 10 – Numaish to Sea View
The 12 km-long course travels via Numaish and along M.A. Jinnah Road. Metropole, Khayaban-e-Iqbal, Teen Talwar, Park Tower, Bilawal Chowrangi, Khayaban-e-Saadi, Marine Promenade, Dolmen Mall Clifton, and Seaview McDonalds are just a few of the places you may find on this route.
Route 11 – Ziauddin Hospital to Meeran Naka, Lyari
Covering a distance of 12.5 kilometres, this route connects Bilawal Chowrangi, Boat Basin, US Consulate General, Mauripur, Keamari, and Lyari.
Facilities in People’s Bus Service
People’s Bus Service has outfitted its fleet of cutting-edge buses with a variety of unique features to give its passengers a comfortable and secure ride. It has also been ensured that these buses are easy for children and elderly passengers to board and exit.
There is plenty of seating and full air conditioning. Additionally, there are safety features including emergency stop buttons, hand grips and handrails. These buses also wait for a short while at each of their primary stops along the route for the convenience of the passengers.
People’s Bus Service Mobile Application
The Sindh Ministry of Transport and Mass Transit has disclosed that the People’s Bus Service will soon have a smartphone application. Moreover, they intend to integrate the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) throughout the entire bus network in order to synchronise bus operations with the future app.
Passengers will be able to track People’s Buses in real time thanks to the app’s integration of a modern GPS system and cutting-edge technology. The ITS system for the bus service will also include CCTV cameras, real-time tracking, and fleet monitoring.
A high-level discussion between the transport minister and the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) covered the intentions to introduce new bus routes and establish a command-and-control centre for People’s Bus Service operations.
Timings of People’s Bus Service
The People’s Bus Service operates on a daily basis from 7 am to 8 pm on the above-mentioned routes.
Fare Rates for Different Routes of PBS
The government has set a maximum fare of PKR 100 and a minimum fare of PKR 25 for the bus service. The fares change depending on the route you are taking.
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