After Four-day Suspension, Metro Bus Resumes Operation In Twin Cities

News Desk

Rawalpindi:  The Metro Bus Service (MBS) between Rawalpindi and Islamabad resumed operation in the twin cities on Saturday after being suspended for four consecutive days following the eruption of violent protests after the arrest of PTI Chief Imran Khan.

The bus service was suspended on May 9 after Shamshabad, 6th Road and Faizabad metro stations were vandalised by the protesters. The protesters also broke glasses and CCTV cameras, and damaged the washrooms at the Committee Chowk Station.

The protesters also looted nearly Rs 0.5 million from the ticket booth at the Sixth Road station. The whole station and ticketing booths were destroyed. The suspension of the bus service also caused over Rs 100 million in losses to the exchequer.

Every day, more than 160,000 people take metro buses to travel between the twin cities. For the working class, labourers, students, government officials, and private employees that commute daily on Metro buses, the Metro bus facility is a huge comfort.

The Sixth Road Metro Bus Station had been set on fire by the protesters. Due to the suspension of the metro bus service in twin cities, the general public have trouble getting around. Asif, a private employee, said that he works in Islamabad and that the Metro Bus is the best and easiest way to get to his place of employment on time.

He said that due to the suspension of the service, he had to hire private transport which was burning a big hole in his pocket.

In the meantime, City Traffic Officer (CTO) Taimoor Khan stated on Saturday that all of Rawalpindi’s roads are open to vehicular traffic and the traffic flow is normal.

The CTO informed that all of the containers on Mall Road have been removed. All the city’s roads, including Murree Road and Mall Road, has regular traffic, he added.

Due to construction work on Jhelum Road near Swan Bridge, there was extraordinary traffic pressure as the traffic is being driven in one line, Taimoor said, adding that additional traffic personnel have also been deployed to regulate traffic on Jhelum Road, particularly in the construction area.

Traffic wardens are trying to ensure a smooth flow of traffic across the city as usual, Taimoor Khan said. He also requested that the citizens follow the traffic rules to avoid traffic congestion.