KARACHI: The Sindh government has directed transport authorities to accelerate work on Karachi’s Red and Yellow bus rapid transit corridors and prepare new routes for electric and double-decker buses expected to arrive in November.
Senior Minister for Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon issued the instructions during a departmental meeting on Tuesday that reviewed construction progress, bridge works, bus depots and connections between the city’s existing and planned mass-transit routes.
The review put particular emphasis on linking the Green, Orange, Red and Yellow corridors so passengers can move between services without treating each line as an isolated journey.
Connecting Karachi’s bus corridors
An integrated network can make public transport useful for trips that begin and end away from a single BRT route. Passengers travelling across the city need convenient transfer points, clear route information and connections to neighbourhood bus services.
Officials discussed the coordination required to connect the four corridors and improve travel options for commuters. The transport minister said linking the lines was essential to making the network more effective.
Karachi’s size and long commuting distances make these connections especially important for workers, students and families who rely on public transport to reach employment, education and services.
Construction priorities
The meeting reviewed work on the Red and Yellow lines, including bridges and supporting facilities. Memon directed officials to speed up the second section of the Taj Haider Bridge and construction of Yellow Line depots.
Depots provide space for vehicle maintenance, storage and operational management, making them an important part of running a reliable bus service. Road and bridge works are similarly necessary to allow buses to operate on planned corridors.
Officials present included Transport Secretary Asad Zamin, TransKarachi Chief Executive Officer Zubair Channa, Yellow Line Project Director Kamal Dayo and Sindh Mass Transit Authority Managing Director Behzad Memon.
Preparing for new buses
The department was also instructed to finalise route arrangements for electric and double-decker buses due next month. Electric buses can broaden the public transport fleet while reducing tailpipe emissions along the routes on which they operate.
The value of additional buses to passengers will depend on where they operate, how frequently they run and how easily their services connect with existing routes. Planning routes alongside BRT integration can help ensure that new vehicles serve journeys not adequately covered by the current network.
The latest directions bring construction and operations into the same planning exercise, with the provincial transport authorities tasked with progressing corridor infrastructure and preparing the next additions to Karachi’s bus fleet.