PM Inaugurates Green Line Bus – Karachi’s First Modern Transit System

Prime Minister Imran Khan has inaugurated the much-awaited hybrid Green Line BRT project this afternoon under the Karachi Transformation Plan, which comprises of four other mega-projects including K-IV project, Karachi Circular Railways and freight corridor.

The Green Line Bus is the first modern and sustainable transit system for the economic hub of Pakistan. It comprises of 80 hybrid buses with a capacity of 151 passengers each. The system will use a route of 21 kilometers to facilitate 135,000 commuters daily. The buses are based on low entry 18 meter articulated diesel-hybrid self-charging technology and are equipped with modern Intelligent Transport System such as real-time passenger information, surveillance cameras, auto-doors, and automatic location system to facilitate the people of Karachi.

The full-scale bus service operations will begin in mid-January, five years after its launch. Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Prime Minister Imran Khan termed the Green Line transport system as the first step towards building a modern city. He further added that no city can develop without a modern transport system and this is only the beginning for Karachi as more mega-projects are underway.

The project was approved by Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) and executed by the Sindh Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (SIDCL). One of Karachi’s major public transport projects, the Green Line bus service suffered several hiccups over the five years since its groundbreaking. The project was announced in July 2014 and the groundbreaking ceremony was held in February 2016.