QUETTA: The Green Line bus service in provincial capital and some other towns of Balochistan finally appears close to its completion as Chief Minister (CM) Mir Abdul Quddus Bizenjo on Sunday said its full-scale operation is to begin from July 17.

“The Government of Balochistan is all set to introduce the Green Bus Service [and its] trial operations will kick off on July 13,” the chief minister said in a statement issued on Twitter.

“After a year of dedicated efforts, we are delighted to bring the long-awaited and much-needed quality public transport system to Quetta,” he said, announcing that its full-scale operation will be inaugurated on July 17 (Monday). The chief minister pointed out that the inaugural ceremony will be graced by a member of the general public “who actively utilises public transportation”.

Earlier in March, Balochistan’s transport secretary Dr Muhammad Aslam Baloch said that in the first phase, 16 buses would be operated on the Sariab Road and Baleli route.

He said the government was taking effective measures to provide “best possible” travel facilities to people, adding that this service would be extended to other routes of Quetta and other towns of the province.