Welcoming the trial run of Green Line rapid bus transit system, Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) chairman and Pakistan Quomi Ittehad (PQI) vice chairman Altaf Shakoor has said that no sustainable socioeconomic change in Karachi is possible unless the public transport system of the megacity is upgraded.
He said after unnecessary delay of years due to political rivalry with PML-N, finally the Green Line metro buses are seen plying in Karachi, though their operation time is limited to a few hours during their test-run phase. He hoped that soon the Green Line metro would be fully functional to facilitate the commuters of the megacity.
He asked the government of Sindh to seriously and practically work on the announced rapid bus transit systems like Red Line, Blue Line and Brown Line. He regretted that the government of Sindh is not serious to give the capital city of the province a good public transport system.
He said that with introduction of modern commuting system the econimc and social life in Karachi would climb to next higher level due to better connectivity, besides saving time and cost of citizens. He said time and cost efficient public transport system is the dire need of the megacity but both federal and provincial governments are dragging heels regarding overhauling public transport system in Karachi.
He said in no megacity of the world economic progress could be made possible without first changing their public transport systems. He said underground rail system for Karachi was planned after the creation of Pakistan, but this plan was shelved for unknown reasons. He said later Karachi Transport Corporation (KTC) and rail-based KCR were closed down under dark conspiracies.
Altaf Shakoor demanded that the pace of work on Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) should be accelerated, as the megacity cannot alone depend on the road based public transport, but the rail based commuting system is a must for making Karachi a modern city in terms of intercity connectivity.
Altaf Shakoor said due to absence of a proper public transport system low income people rely on motorcycles that make huge air and noise pollution in the megacity damaging its environment and ecology. He said it is the right of the Karachittes to breathe in a clean air and live in a healthy atmosphere.
He hoped that the federal and provincial rulers would realise their responsibilities and start and complete all announced public transport schemes in Karachi on fast-track basis.
