160 Electric Buses Now Serve 21 Routes in Islamabad
News Desk
Islamabad: Islamabad has taken a major step toward sustainable urban mobility with the inauguration of a new fleet of electric buses, along with a purpose-built depot and charging station, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced on Friday.
The latest expansion increases the number of electric buses operating across 21 routes to 160. Following the launch, Minister Naqvi inspected the new facilities and rode one of the buses with senior officials, receiving a briefing on fleet operations, depot management, and charging infrastructure.
Read More: https://thepenpk.com/cda-to-launch-30-electric-buses-on-friday/
Naqvi praised the project team for timely execution, noting that the service currently serves 125,000 passengers daily, with plans to double ridership to 250,000. He highlighted special measures to ensure accessibility for students across key routes.
The minister also announced plans to extend the electric bus service to Rawat, integrating it with the existing Metro Bus system to help ease traffic congestion in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
He confirmed that the Rawalpindi-Islamabad local rail service is being restored and that HIT Pakistan is preparing to start local manufacturing of electric buses.
Officials said the new depot can accommodate 64 charging units, with 50 already installed and 14 more to be added. Each charger can power two buses within two hours, and the system has been integrated with Google for real-time monitoring and navigation.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Chief Commissioner Islamabad, IG Islamabad Police, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad, and other senior officials.
