Sindh is introducing double-decker and electric buses in Karachi, along with new People’s Bus Service routes, EV taxis and Pink Scooties to upgrade public transport.
New Double-Decker and EV Buses Arriving Next Week
The Sindh government has announced that brand-new double-decker buses and electric buses (EV buses) will start operating in Karachi from next week. This marks another step towards modernising the city’s public transport system and reducing its dependence on old, smoke-emitting vehicles.
Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon shared the update after chairing a high-level meeting on transport projects. According to him, the new buses are expected to arrive in Karachi in the coming days, and fresh routes for these vehicles will also be introduced across the city. For daily commuters, this means more options, better comfort and a cleaner way of travelling to work, school and markets.
The double-decker buses will offer higher passenger capacity on busy corridors, while the EV buses will help reduce fuel costs and emissions. Together, they are expected to support Karachi’s growing public transport needs and give residents an alternative to expensive ride-hailing services and overcrowded minibuses.
People’s Bus Service to Expand Beyond Karachi
During the meeting, which was attended by Transport Secretary Asad Zaman, SMTMA Managing Director Kanwal Nizam Bhutto, TransKarachi CEO Fawad Ghaffar Soomro and Yellow Line BRT Project Director Zamir Abbasi, officials also discussed the expansion of the People’s Bus Service.
Sharjeel Inam Memon said that new routes of the People’s Bus Service will soon be launched in other districts of Sindh, not just in Karachi. This means that cities such as Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana and others can expect more organised, government-backed bus routes in the near future. The aim is to provide affordable, reliable and safer transport options for people living outside the provincial capital as well.
By extending the service beyond Karachi, the Sindh government hopes to reduce regional transport gaps and offer better connectivity for workers, students and families who currently rely on old vans and private vehicles for long-distance and intra-city travel. The minister instructed transport officials to complete all operational preparations for these new routes as quickly as possible.
EV Taxi Service and Second Phase of Pink Scooties
Two other key initiatives that were discussed with the minister included the introduction of an electric taxi (EV taxi) and a second round of the Pink Scooties Scheme in Karachi. The two projects are aimed at encouraging greener transport and enhancing the choice of movements among the various groups in the society.
Sharjeel Inam Memon announced that the Sindh government expects to roll out the EV taxi service by December, another contemporary and environmentally friendly mode of transportation that Karachi residents could use to get around the city. Taxi electric vehicles would reduce the fuel imported, emissions and provide quieter rides than the traditional petrol or diesel taxi.
Meanwhile, there is a simultaneous project of the second stage of the Pink Scooties Scheme that is concerned with female mobility. Women and female students who are enrolled under this programme will be able to access scooters which will assist in commuting to the universities, offices and markets independently. The minister also added that there are women and female student training programmes to ride scooties which are being initiated in all the divisional headquarters in Sindh. This education would play a role in safety, confidence and long-term adoption of women to using two-wheelers.
Speeding Up Work on Yellow Line and Red Line BRT
The Karachi major Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects, especially Yellow Line and Red Line were also reviewed in the meeting. Such projects are essential to construct a high-capacity, dedicated-lane bus system that capable of transporting large amount of passengers in a short duration of time and predictability.
The minister was briefed by the officials on the status of the Yellow Line BRT which included depot construction and supporting infrastructure. Sharjeel Inam Memon ordered transport authorities to accelerate the process of the Yellow Line completion and finish depot and infrastructure assignment as early as possible. He pointed out that all the delays in such projects have a direct impact on commuters who continue to be stranded in overcrowded roads and lack of formal means of transport.
The minister also announced that the second phase of Taj Haider Bridge would soon commence but the two way traffic has already been reinstated on the bridge. This building is a significant connection to Karachi traffic system and on time completion of the structure will most likely help in supporting BRT operations as well as traffic flow in nearby locations.
Relocating Utilities to Keep Projects on Track
The existence of existing utilities through which the proposed routes have to pass in Karachi is one of the most important bottlenecks associated with such large transport projects. Unless these are moved in good time, construction may slow down or even come to a standstill.
This concern was pointed out by Sharjeel Inam Memon and the authorities were asked to move at a higher pace to relocate utilities, which are interfering with the Yellow Line BRT project. He emphasized that there should be no time delays that will make the rate of development slow. The agencies dealing with water, power, gas and telecom should also be coordinated with to ensure smooth flow of work.
The Sindh government would wish to shun the protracted nature of some past infrastructure projects by pushing to have their utilities relocated in a faster manner. The transport network in Karachi should also keep up with the population and traffic requirements of the city, which is possible only through timely completion of corridors and depots.
Towards Cleaner and More Inclusive Urban Transport
Collectively, this changes in the transport policy of Sindh, through the introduction of double-decker buses, electric buses, an EV taxi service, the increase in People’s Bus routes and the Pink Scooters Scheme. The province is shifting to more inclusive and cleaner urban mobility which is planned better.
To common people, the developments will translate to increased options and, possibly, a reduced daily transportation expenditure. Electric buses and taxis will facilitate a decrease in air pollution and traffic noise, which will increase the quality of life in overpopulated urban neighbourhoods. Two-decker buses have a capacity to carry a greater number of passengers in a single run, which lowers congestion that has been occasioned by a series of smaller vehicles using the same routes.
In the case of women and girls, the emphasis on scooter training and the renewal of the Pink Scooties Scheme provide a valuable message to the government: the planning of the public transport should take into account their needs and safety not as an add-on process. An increase in women mobility has been associated with increased access to education, job and health care.
When such efforts are introduced successfully and appropriately sustained, Karachi and other Sindh cities may experience a slow change in the way people a transportation move around: the uncontrolled and polluting modes of transportation could be replaced with the systematised, convenient and ecological methods of transportation that would benefit everyone.
