Double-decker buses to hit Karachi roads tomorrow

The Sindh government has announced the launch of a double-decker bus service in Karachi starting tomorrow, calling it a New Year’s gift for the city’s residents.

Senior Sindh Minister for Information and Transport Sharjeel Inam Memon inaugurated a project to link the Orange Line with the Green Line BRT.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that double-decker buses would begin operating from tomorrow. “This service is a New Year’s gift for the people of Karachi. The double-decker buses will run from Malir to Shahrah-e-Faisal, and the fare will be the same as the Peoples Bus Service,” he added.

Memon said the service was being launched on a pilot basis and on a limited scale. In the first phase, the buses will operate only on the Malir–Shahrah-e-Faisal route. He said discussions had been held with the chief secretary to expand the fleet in the future, adding that double-decker buses help save road space.

The minister said that the system would be Pakistan’s first BRT network operating on a single card. “Our goal is to further improve the service so that up to 100,000 passengers can travel daily,” he said.

He added that passengers travelling on the Green Line and Orange Line would no longer need to pay double fares. “Commuters will be able to use both the Orange Line and Green Line with a single card,” he said.

The senior minister said all these projects were aimed at providing better facilities to the public. He acknowledged that the Red Line project had faced several challenges but said Chief Minister Sindh had resolved the issues and work had now begun.

He further said the Sindh government had planned a four-kilometre Orange Line extension, while electric vehicles had already arrived and would be introduced on new routes.