| Islamabad: The 30 buses out of the long-awaited addition of 160 electric buses to enhance public transportation in Islamabad will reach the capital within two months, according to news published on August 22.
Read: CDA to acquire electric buses from NRTC for 13 metro routes
According to an official statement, the arrival of buses to ply over a dozen routes in the city has faced a delay due to issues surrounding the opening of Letters of Credit (LCs). However, a fleet of 30 buses is anticipated to arrive in the capital within the next two months.
Manufacturing of the buses has been completed, with only the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) systems pending. This remaining work is expected to take several weeks to finalize, primarily due to the import of necessary equipment from Turkey. Once these final touches are complete, the buses will make their journey from China to Pakistan.
The remaining 130 buses are scheduled for delivery by the end of the current year. The contractor will facilitate the transfer of funds to the manufacturer based in China to expedite the process.
The delay in the initial payment was attributed to the central bank’s closure of LCs due to insufficient foreign exchange reserves. However, with the reopening of LCs, the financial transactions are poised to be completed promptly.
Read: CDA to acquire 30 new metro buses, bidding results announced
These electric buses are slated to operate on 13 newly designated routes, facilitated by the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC), the contractor appointed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). The CDA has committed to remunerating NRTC approximately PKR 306 to 331 per kilometer in accordance with their agreement.
The proposed routes encompass strategic connections across the city, linking key locations such as Police Foundation/Orange Line Station to Red Line Faiz Ahmed Faiz Station in I-8, PIMS to Secretariat, D-12 to G-10, and several others. |
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