The Capital Development Authority (CDA) plans to roll out a fleet of 30 electric buses over a dozen new routes in Islamabad. The buses would likely reach the city within two months, an official said, blaming the delay on the non-opening of LCs.
He said that the buses have been manufactured and only the AI work is needed, which might take weeks as most of the equipment would come from Turkey. After that, these buses will leave China for Pakistan.
A CDA official told Dawn that 130 buses would be delivered by the end of 2023 after the tranche is complete between the civic Federal Government and the Chinese manufacturer.
The central bank stopped Letters of Credit (LCs) due to inadequate foreign exchange reserves, delaying the payment. The money will be transferred soon as the LCs are opened, the report added.
The CDA contractor and the National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) would operate these buses on 13 additional routes. The CDA will pay NRTC Rs. 306–331 per kilometer under the arrangement. The initial routes include:
The official rollout date of the service is yet to be revealed.
