Public transport in shambles
Public transport in shambles
Editorial
Editorial

Public transport is the most ignored sector of the local economy where bullies are operating passenger buses inflicting insults to people traveling in the bus. They are made target when any one protest for snail pace driving on the busy road causing traffic jam and inflicting mental torture to the passengers.

Public transport is the most ignored sector of the local economy where bullies are operating passenger buses inflicting insults to people traveling in the bus. They are made target when any one protest for snail pace driving on the busy road causing traffic jam and inflicting mental torture to the passengers.

The buses are normally owned by local elders and given on contract to the bullies. The bus service failed to deliver goods as most of the buses are fewer number of passengers merely because of the time consuming to travel from Saryab to main commercial centre of Quetta. The authorities concerned should look into this problem and regulate the private public transport for the benefit of the common people, mostly poor who cannot afford to hire an auto rickshaw or own their own transport.

It is also pertinent to we suggest that the Government should operate the passenger buses service for the benefit of more than a million population of Saryab and its hundreds of localities in its surroundings.The Green Bus service during the peak hours, in the morning office time and for school going children and in the afternoon when children in tens of thousands return home.

Earlier, on April 11 Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal Khan has approved a pilot project for local Green Bus Service, in Quetta. The Chief Minister okay the project while heading a high-level meeting held to discuss affairs related to the Transport Department.

In the first phase, 10 Green Busses will start their services on Sariab Road, Joint Road and Airport Road. Depending on project’s success, the services will be extended to other parts of provincial capital.

On the other hand, the Government should impound all the old and junk buses from the road as a punishment for the owners who failed to improve the bus service for the benefit of the people. Junk passenger buses are emitting smoke and spreading diseases among the people to inhale poisonous smoke that causes lung cancer. Or the Government imposed very heavy fine, including cancellation of their route permits.

For the past many years, the old and junk passenger buses are operating on the Quetta roads, mainly from Saryab to main commercial centre of this Provincial Capital. The Government should take action against all of them canceling their route permits.

The Government should make a significant investment in improving the public transport for some year. After institutionalizing the public transport system, the Government can disinvest its share to the private company. During the initial period of Pakistan, there were no resources available with the common people, barring a few industrialists and businessmen.

To overcome the problem of investment, the Government had come forward and established all the needed institutions, factories and plants. The Government of Balochistan should follow the footsteps of erstwhile PIDC and established a transport company operating quality bus service within Quetta first and later on extended to other areas.  It is the only way to reduce density of traffic on Quetta roads and solve the problem of frequent traffic jam in this Provincial Capital.

At the moment, the local bus Mafia had monopolized the transport facility in the major half of Quetta city intimidating the passengers, charging highest fare and resort to overload and reckless driving besides humiliating the passengers. It is horrible for the women folk to travel by local bus as they face disrespect from the operators, mostly doubtful in character.

It will go long in the history if the present Government got the credit to start the Green Bus service for the people of Quetta without any delay.