First batch of 30 electric buses arrive in Islamabad today

ISLAMABAD: The electric buses are set to hit Islamabad’s roads as 10 buses will be arriving in the city on Tuesday (today) followed by 20 more in the next 24 hours.

“A fleet of 30 buses will reach Islamabad in two days: on Tuesday and Wednesday,” said an officer of the CDA. He said these 30 buses will be operated from the Convention Centre on two routes.

The first route will be from G-11 Nust station to Pims covering G-10, G-9, and G-8, and the second from Pims, G-7, G-6, National Library, Bari Imam and Quaid-i-Azam University.

The service to be started in a few days will be available from 6 am to 10 pm daily. Besides, 70 more buses will reach Karachi in a couple of days which after customs clearance will be transported to Islamabad.

The last fleet of 60 buses will reach Islamabad later.

“Electric buses will reach Islamabad on Tuesday.

This was informed in a meeting chaired by CDA Chairman Muhammad Ali Randhawa at CDA headquarters,” said a press release issued on Monday.

Buses to run on two new routes from G-11 Nust station to Pims and from Pims to Quaid-i-Azam University says official

According to the CDA chairman, a plan would be developed to provide subsidies to worthy groups in society, such as students and people with disabilities.

The CDA has set up a temporary depot with six electric chargers at the Convention Centre to operate the 30 buses. However, the civic agency will face a crisis-like situation when it will receive more buses as there are no depots and chargers for them. The CDA has been in the tendering process for the establishment of two depots since December 2023; however, the contract is yet to be awarded.

According to sources, the National Logistic Cell placed the lowest bid when the technical and financial bids were opened in February. The civic agency has not yet awarded the contract, though, because its proposal was excessively higher than the projected price. Additionally, there’s a chance the local government will issue a new tender.

Zero Point, I-9, and Tramri were the three locations for the depots that were slated for development last year. But none of them have had any work done on them yet. According to an official, “proper inquiry is warranted given the delay in establishing the depots.”