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PESHAWAR: The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) metro bus system restored its service on Saturday after a month long suspension due to the frequent fire incidents in buses.
The BRT service was suspended last month after repeated fire incidents compelled the government to conduct an audit of the buses to ascertain the faults.
According to a BRT spokesperson, the bus service will run from 6AM to 10PM, whereas the Express Route on Central Corridor has also been activated and a special route has been introduced from Khyber Bazaar to Mall of Hayatabad.
He underscored that the service was restored after a comprehensive inspection of all buses, installation of new equipment, load, and road testing to ensure the safety of the passengers.
He stressed that all commuters should wear facemasks as a preventive measure against COVID-19 and follow all the standing operating procedures (SOPs) in the best interest of the public. He said that the early resumption of service showed the company’s commitment to ensure the best, reliable and safe transport service to commuters.
He said the bus manufacturing company experts in close coordination and supervision of TransPeshawar worked day and night to identify and rectify issues that were hampering the service.
He added that BRT buses will reach every station within two to four minutes of headway so that passengers can easily wait for the next bus in case of a rush. This will help in avoiding the rush of commuters in the buses and stations, he said.
The TransPeshawar had announced to resume the service on October 25 but the company changed the decision and decided to resume the much-needed public transport.
The BRT service was suspended indefinitely after the fifth fire incident in a bus on September 16. This alarmed the government and the commuters and prompted TransPeshawar to suspend the service. The service was launched on August 13 amid criticism over long delays and exponentially high cost.
