Pakistan’s e-bus services buckle under overcrowding, long intervals

Rawalpindi [Pakistan] September 17 (ANI): The electric bus (e-bus) service operating between Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Media Town, which was introduced to provide citizens with a modern, comfortable and dignified mode of public transport, is reportedly causing difficulties for commuters due to overcrowding and lengthy intervals between buses, according to a report by The Express Tribune (TET).
As mentioned in the TET report, the discontinuation of the No. 136 bus service on the route has significantly increased passenger pressure on the electric buses. The long intervals between services have further aggravated the difficulties faced by commuters.
According to the report, citizens said an electric bus arrives on the Pims-Media Town route approximately every 30 minutes. The lengthy gap results in large numbers of passengers gathering at stops while waiting for the next bus.
When an electric bus arrives, overcrowding becomes severe, with women, elderly people and children facing particular difficulties, as cited by TET.
The report further noted that some passengers are unable to board because the bus has already reached capacity. Such commuters are then forced to wait for the next service, leading to additional delays and inconvenience during their journeys.
Passengers using the route have urged the relevant authorities, particularly the Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), to reduce the interval between electric buses on the Pims-Media Town route from 30 minutes to 10 minutes.
As mentioned by TET, commuters believe that reducing the waiting interval would help ease the growing pressure on the service while ensuring that women and other passengers have access to safe, timely and dignified public transport.
The report also highlighted that the effectiveness of a modern public transport system depends not only on introducing new buses but also on ensuring that an adequate number of vehicles are available and operate at suitable intervals based on passenger demand. (ANI)