People’s Bus Service, Karachi: History, Routes & More

People’s Bus Service is a project by the Sindh Government under the authority of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority. The project aims to solve the long-withstanding public transport problem in the city. Thousands of commuters in Karachi face difficulties on the road every day as a result of the chaotic and disorganized public transportation system.

Graana.com has compiled a guide about the People’s Bus Service Karachi below, including the routes, timings, and fare rates.

 

About People’s Bus Service Karachi

 

The gap between public demand and the number of buses on the road is getting wider since most Karachiites do not have their cars or motorcycles and cannot afford taxis regularly. Most of them rely on buses and coaches as the primary mode of transportation. Bus travel is comparatively more affordable and can serve the needs of people from all social classes, from low-income laborers to middle-class white-collar workers.

However, the current transportation system requires riders to change multiple buses to reach their destination. Moreover, the city’s buses are unreliable, improperly maintained, worn out, and lack most safety features like emergency exits. Another problem is the availability of limited seats on these buses. Therefore, the majority of the time, the buses are packed above their capacity, forcing passengers to cling to the door handles or sit on the bus roof.

According to the World Bank, one bus with 100 seats for every 1,500 passengers needs to be available. Hence, with 22 million people living in Karachi, there should be 20,448 35-seater minibuses and 5,566 50-seater buses. However, considerably fewer buses are currently running on the roads of Karachi.

In its 2021-2022 Fiscal year budget, the Sindh government allocated Rs. 5.2 billion with aid from the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank for expanding public transportation. It includes funding for the Red Line and Yellow Line projects.

The federal and provincial government’s introduction of the Green Line and Orange Line BRT projects proved to be a significant step, leading to continuous improvements in the city’s transportation system. Red Line Metrobus systems are also anticipated to launch soon.

In addition, the provincial government recently launched the People’s Bus Service in Karachi and Larkana, two of Sindh’s biggest cities, in addition to these extensive BRT initiatives. Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto inaugurated PBS Karachi on June 27, 2022.

There are 140 buses, out of which 130 will be used for Karachi’s first phase of service and the remaining for Larkana. Although a single bus of People’s Bus Service can accommodate 80 passengers, the Sindh Mass Transit Authority has permitted to accommodate an additional 31. For special or impaired customers, there will be two dedicated seats.

 

An Overview of People’s Bus Service Routes Karachi

 

Route	Route Length (km)	Operational Phase	Terminals	Route Description Of People’s Bus Service
Route 1	28	Operational	Model Colony to Dockyard	Model Colony to Dockyard: via Model Mor, Malir Halt, Colony Gate, Nata Khan Bridge, Drigh Road Station, PAF Base Faisal, Laal Kothi, Karsaz, Nursery, FTC, Regent Plaza, Metropole, Fawwara Chowk, Arts Council, Shaheen Complex, I.I.Chundrigar, Tower, Fisheries, and Dockyard
Route 2	30	Operational	Power House to Indus Hospital	North Karachi to Indus Hospital: via Nagan Chowrangi, Shafiq Morr, Sohrab Goth, Gulshan Chowranei, NIPA, Johar Morr, COD, Drigh Road Station, Colony Gate, Shah Faisal Colony, Singer Chowrangi and Landhi Road
Route 3	31	Operational	Power House to Shaan Chowrangi	Power House, UP More, Nagan Chowrangi, Sakhi Hasan, 5 Star Chowrangi, KDA Chowrangi, Nazimabad Eid Gah Ground, Liaquatabad 10 Number, Essa Nagri, Civic Centre, National stadium, Karsaz, Nursery, FTC, Korangi Road, KPT Interchange upto Shan Chowrangi
Route 4	21	Operational	Power House to Tower	Power House, UP Mor, Nagan Chowrangi, Shafiq Mor, Sohrab Goth, Shahrah e Pakistan, Ayesha Manzil, , Liaqautabad 10, Laloo Khait, Teen Hati, Jehangir Road, Numaish, Mobile Market, Urdu Bazar, Civil Hospital, City Court, Light House, Bolton Market, Tower
Route 9	42	Operational	Gulshan e Hadeed to Tower	Salah Uddin Ayubi Road, Allah Wali Chowrangi, National Highway 5, Steel Mill More, Port Bin Qasim More, Razzakabad, Abdullah Goth, Chowkundi More, Fast University, Bhains Colony More, Manzil Pump, Quaidabad, Murghi Khana, Prince Aly Boys School, Nadra Center Malir, Malir Session Court, Malir 15, Kalaboard, Malir Halt, Colony Gate, Nata Khan Bridge, Drigh Road Station, PAF Base Faisal, Laal Kothi, Karsaz, Nursery, FTC, Regent Plaza, Metropole,Fawwara Chowk, Arts Council, Shaheen Complex and I.I.Chundrigar
Route 10	27.8	Operational	Numaish Chowrangi to Ibrahim Hyderi	Numaish, Taj Complex, Capri Cinema, Mobile Market, Regal, Abdullah Haroon, Zainab Market, Fawara Chowk, Metropole, Frere Hall, PSO Head Office, 3 Talwar, Ocean Mall, 2 Talwar, Abdullah Shah Ghazi Mazar, Bagh Ibn E Qasim, Dolmen Mall Clifton, Seaview Clock Tower, Khayaban e Ittehad, DHA Phase 7, DHA Phase 6, DHA Phase 2, KPT Interchange, Korangi Crossing, Indus Hospital, CBM University, PARCO, Ibrahim Hyderi
Route 11	19	Operational	Shireen Jinnah Colony to Miran Nakka Lyari	Bilawal Chowrangi, 26th Street, Khadda Market, Gizri Road, Submarine Chowk, Eidgah Clifton, PIDC, Haji Camp, US Consulate Gene­ral, M.T. Khan Road, Mauripur, Kea­mari and Lyari
Route 12	31	Operational	Khokrapar to Lucky Star Saddar	Naddi Kinara, Khokhrapar, Saudabad Chowrangi, RCD Ground, Kalaboard, Malir 15, Malir Mandir, Malir Session Court, Murghi Khana, Quaidabad, Dawood Chowrangi, Babar Market, Landhi Road, Nasir Jump, Indus Hospital, Korangi Crossing, Qayyumabad, Defence Mor, National Medical Center, Gora Qabristan, FTC, Jutt Land, Lines Area, Army Public School, Lucky Star Saddar
EV-1	28	Operational	CMH Malir Cantt to Dolmen Mall Clifton	CMH Malir Cantt, Tank Chowk, Model Colony Mor, Jinnah Ave, Airport, Colony Gate, Nata Khan Bridge, Drigh Road Station, PAF Base Faisal, Laal Kothi, Karsaz, Nursery, FTC, Korangi Road, DHA Phase 1, Masjid e Ayesha, Clock Tower DHA, Dolmen Mall Clifton
EV-2	30	Operational	Bahria Town to Malir Halt	Bahria Town, Damba Goth, Toll Plaza, Baqai University, Malir Cantt Gate 5, Malir Cantt Gate 6, Tank Chowk, Model Mor, Jinnah Ave, Malir Halt
EV-3	20	Operational	Malir Cantt Check Post 5 to Numaish	Malir Cantt Check Post 5, Rim Jhim Tower, Safoora Chowrangi, Mausamiyat Chowrangi, Kamran Chowrangi, Darul Sehat Hospital, Johar Chowrangi, Johar Mor, Millennium Mall, Dalmia Road, Bahria University, National Stadium, Aga Khan Hospital, Liaquat National Hospital, PIB Colony, Jail Chowrangi, Dawood Engineering University, Islamia College, People Secretariat Chowrangi, Numaish

 

Operational People’s or Red Bus Routes Karachi

 

The project was initiated in two phases. During the 1st phase, a total of 6 routes were operational. However, during the 2nd phase, the rest of the 5 routes were also opened to the public. The following are these routes:

• Route 1 – Model Colony to Tower
• Route 2 – North Karachi to Landhi
• Route 3 – Nagan Chowrangi to Singer Chowrangi
• Route 4 – North Karachi to Dockyard
• Route 5 – Surjani Town to Masroor Base
• Route 6 – Gulshan-e-Bihar Orangi to Singer Chowrangi
• Route 7 – Mosamiyat to Baldia Town
• Route 8 – Larkana City
• Route 9 – Gulshan-e-Hadeed to Tower
• Route 10 – Numaish to Sea View
• Route 11 – Ziauddin Hospital to Meeran Naka, Lyari

The length of these routes is different and most of these pass through the densely populated areas of Karachi. Let’s have a detailed look:

 

Route 1 – Model Colony to Tower

It is a 29.5 km long route and has 38 stations in total. Model Colony Gate, Nata Khan Bridge, Drigh Road Station, PAF Base Faisal, Laal Kothi, Karsaz, Nursery, FTC, Regent Plaza, JPMC, Cantt Station, Metropole, Regal Chowk, Aram Bagh and II Chundrigar Road are some of the stations on this route.

Route 2 – North Karachi to Landhi

This is a 32.9 km route with 30 stations. Nagan Chowrangi, Shafiq Morr, Sohrab Goth, Gulshan Chowrangi, NIPA chowrangi bus stop, Johar Morr, COD, Drigh Road Station, Colony Gate, Shah Faisal Colony, Singer Chowrangi, and Landhi Road are some of the important stations on its route.

 

Route 3 – Nagan Chowrangi to Singer Chowrangi

It is a 33 km long route and passes through Karachi’s most prominent areas. 5 Star Chowrangi, KDA Chowrangi, Nazimabad Eid Gah Ground, Liaquatabad 10, Essa Nagri, Civic Centre, National Stadium, Karsaz, Nursery, FTC, Korangi Road, and KPT Interchange up to Shan Chowrangi are some of the important stations along its route.

 

Route 4 – North Karachi to Dockyard

This route passes through Mosamiyat, University Road, Motorway M9, Ayesha Manzil, Lalu Khait, Guru Mandir, Empress Market, Sindh High Court, I.I Chandigarh Road, ending at Dock Yard.

 

Route 5 – Surjani Town to Masroor Base

Surjani Town, Shafiq Morr, KMDC, Ziauddin Chowrangi, KDA Chowrangi, Musa Colony, Manghopir, SITE Area, and Gulbai are all stops along the 28.2-kilometre route from Surjani Town to Masroor Base.

 

Route 6 – Gulshan-e-Bihar Orangi to Singer Chowrangi

In addition to Orangi Town, Banaras, Paposh Nagar, SITE Area, Golimar, Garden, PIB Colony, Jail Chowrangi, Bahadurabad, Baloch Colony, Mahmoodabad, Manzoor Colony, DHA Phase 1, KPT Interchange, and Shan Chowrangi, this route covers several other stops along the 29.6 kilometre-long route from Gulshan-e-Bihar Orangi to Singer Chowrangi.

 

Route 7 – Mosamiyat to Baldia Town

The route from Mosamiyat to Baldia Town covers a distance of 28.9 km, and includes Gulzar-e-Hijri, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Federal B Area, North Nazimabad, Orangi Town, and Qaddafi Stadium.

 

Route 8 – Larkana City

The route includes stops at Larkana Junction, Civil Hospital, Shahi Bazaar, Naudero Chowk, Municipal Stadium, 7 Naka Bridge, Abro Colony, Central Jail up to the Larkana Depot.

 

Route 9 – Gulshan-e-Hadeed to Tower

From Gulshan-e-Hadeed to Tower, Route No. 9 travels 36 kilometres through the following locations: Allah Wali Chowrangi, Steel Town, Port Qasim Chowrangi, Manzil Petrol Pump, Quaidabad, Malir City, Malir Halt, Colony Gate, Natha Khan Bridge, Drig Road Station, PAF Base Faisal, Lal Kothi, Karsaz, Nursery, FTC, Metropole, and Jang Press.

 

Route 10 – Numaish to Sea View

The 12 km-long course travels via Numaish and along M.A. Jinnah Road. Metropole, Khayaban-e-Iqbal, Teen Talwar, Park Tower, Bilawal Chowrangi, Khayaban-e-Saadi, Marine Promenade, Dolmen Mall Clifton, and Seaview McDonalds are just a few of the places you may find on this route.

 

Route 11 – Ziauddin Hospital to Meeran Naka, Lyari

Covering a distance of 12.5 kilometres, this route connects Bilawal Chowrangi, Boat Basin, US Consulate General, Mauripur, Keamari, and Lyari.

 

Facilities in People’s Bus Service Karachi

 

 

People’s Bus Service has outfitted its fleet of cutting-edge buses with various unique features to give its passengers a comfortable and secure ride. It has also been ensured that these buses are accessible for children and elderly passengers to board and exit.

There is plenty of seating and full air conditioning. Additionally, there are safety features, including emergency stop buttons, hand grips and handrails. These buses also wait for a short while at each of their primary stops along the route for the convenience of the passengers.

 

People’s Bus Service Mobile Application

The Sindh Ministry of Transport and Mass Transit has disclosed that the People’s Bus Service will soon have a smartphone application. Moreover, they intend to integrate the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) throughout the entire bus network in order to synchronise bus operations with the future app.

 

 

Passengers will be able to track People’s Buses in real time thanks to the app’s integration of a modern GPS system and cutting-edge technology. The ITS system for the bus service will also include CCTV cameras, real-time tracking, and fleet monitoring.

A high-level discussion between the transport minister and the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) covered the intentions to introduce new bus routes and establish a command-and-control centre for People’s Bus Service operations.

 

Timings of Peoples Bus Service Karachi

The People’s Bus Service operates daily from 7 AM to 8 PM on the above-mentioned routes.

 

Fare Rates for Different Routes of PBS Karachi

The government has set a maximum fare of PKR 100 and a minimum fare of PKR 25 for the bus service. The fares change depending on the route you are taking.

 

 

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