CNG Green Bus Service started in 2014 from Pakistan Steel Township Gulshan-e-Hadeed to Mereweather Tower via Shahra-i-Faisal and II Chundrigar Road needs immediate administrative attention as commuters complain of violation of rules and inappropriate attitude of the operators of these buses.
The fleet of 35 green buses imported from China is being managed and operated by mostly untrained traditional conductors and drivers with no apparent checks over them.
This service was supposed to transport daily a large number of commuters on this route, especially from distant Bin Qasim Town to and from the main city areas.
However, several passengers, who travel on these buses to the places of their jobs and education, complained that they were forced to pay Rs 30 and Rs 40 for traveling to the main city areas from Gulshan-e-Hadeed and other areas of Bin Qasim Town as against Rs 10 and Rs 20 fare approved by the government. The fare lists have never been displayed.
The green buses do not follow timings and the designated stops. These buses also do not complete the route on one pretext or another like other transporters do, causing unnecessary delays, said the commuters. They pointed out that some conductors do not even bother to give tickets. When asked for tickets, they start threatening commuters, they complained.
They have also started loading male passengers in the ladies’ compartment. The people mentioned that another CNG bus service inaugurated by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah recently does charge Rs 20 fare from one terminal to another – Surjani Town and Mereweather Tower.
“We have no option but to pay whatever conductors demand for traveling to the city for our jobs and education,” the passengers of Gulshan-e-Hadeed to Tower route regretted. The launch of this bus service was very warmly welcomed by a large number of commuters of this very busy route, especially by those who travel daily to the city.
Simultaneously, many people from the main city shuttling to Export Processing Zone, Landhi Industrial area, Pakistan Machine Tools Factory (PMTF), National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Port Qasim and affiliated industries, Pakistan Steel Mills and Razzaqabad Police Training Centre took this service as a relief for them.
The people have urged the authorities concerned to take over the CNG green bus service from the private contractor. They called for a cheap and quality transport facility operated by educated and trained drivers and conductors.