The University of Karachi has failed to induct 10 more point buses in its fleet according to approved plan due to what varsity officials said growing financial constraints, Business Recorder learnt. University decided to replace year's old point buses, which have developed faults, with new ones, but it has failed to implement it due to growing financial constraints and limited resources.
Even today, by putting their lives at stake, the students coming from far-flung areas of the city are forced to reach the varsity for attending regular classes in available overloaded buses. Many students have lost their limbs during travelling in these heavily loaded point buses, the varsity management has failed to materialise the approved plan.
The university management has already banned entry of private vehicles in the premises due to security reasons, which have doubled the burden of transport department. There is a need of drivers and conductors' staff to provide evening students with transport facility but the university cannot hire staff to run shuttle or pick-and-drop facilities for the students of second shift.
There are only 26 point buses for 26,000 students of the varsity in which only four point-buses for 5,000 students of evening programme, which is insufficient to cater the needs of the students. At least 2,700 non-teaching employees and 7,000 teaching staff is working in the university and most of them rely on transport facility provided by the varsity, which have caused further problems.
The transport department had submitted recommendations to the director evening programme for enhancing number of point busses evening shifts students, but all in vain. The department is running 5-shettle buses within in the premises of university but these are not sufficient for 5,000 students of evening programme.
The department is running shuttle service according to schedule provided by the administration of the university but despite passing years, the administration is unable to evolve the schedule of evening programme. Despite repeated attempts, Convenor Transport Dr Shadab could not be reached for comments on the issue.
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.