Sudden disappearance of urban transport system buses (UTS-8) has created great inconvenience and resentment amongst the large number of commuters en route Pakistan Steel Township (Bin Qasim) to Dockyard and Keamari. They have demanded immediate restoration of UTS service on this route.
A social worker and PPP leader, Faqir Faiz Muhammad Hesbani, told APP that the UTS-8 route, starting around a year back, covered Pakistan Steel's residential areas, Pipri, Razzakabad, Quaidabad-Landhi, Malir, Airport, Drigh Road, Sharea Faisal, Mazar-i-Quaid, M.A. Jinnah Road, Tower and Dockyard.
The suspension of the UTS route came on the very day when dissolution of Local Bodies councils was announced. It is to be mentioned that UTS and Green Bus, Metro Bus services here were controlled by the City District Government Karachi.
According to the information gathered from the UTS staff, the fleet of 30 buses would be shifted to Multan city and no new party/company had so far come ahead to start operations on the route UTS-8.
The concerned officials were hesitant to give formal comments on this situation and the future plan.
Faiz Hesbani said this new and better transport service had provided a relief to a large number of people, who were facing all kinds of violations by operators of buses and coaches, and their misconduct to passengers. "Once again people have been left at the mercy of traditional transporters wherein a passenger feels lucky if he completes his journey smoothly and respectfully," he said.
He pointed out that thousands of people used to travel by these buses daily for their jobs. Now, they would have to pay more in terms of money and time to complete their journey by using private transport.
A group of residents from the Steel Township in their joint statement said the coaches of Muslim and Mehran routes - plying from Tower to Gulshan-e-Hadeed via Cantt Railway station and M.A. Jinnah road - mostly break their journey in the middle at Quaidabad (Landhi). Hence, besides wastage of time, a passenger has to pay Rs 8 in addition to Rs 12 to reach their homes.