KARACHl: The provincial government on Saturday decided to add 28 air-conditioned CNG buses of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation to the Peoples Bus Service fleet after the city`s municipality failed to bring them on roads.

The defunct City District Government Karachi had purchased 75 dedicated CNG buses at a total cost of around Rs375 million and operated them efficiently during the initial period giving a heavy subsidy. Later, the subsidy was withdrawn and the buses were left rusting at a terminal in Surjani Town.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah while chairing a meeting directed Mayor Murtaza Wahab to work out a proposal to add the KMC`s 28 air-conditioned CNG buses to the PBS fleet so that they could be put on any existing or new routes in the metropolis.

The mayor told the meeting participants that out of 75 buses, 14 buses were donated to different organisations.

He said that 51 buses were in different stages of decay and were available with the KMC, adding that 28 buses, if repaired, could be put in operation.

He said that KMC had reconditioned one of the buses through private sources. `The repaired vehicle has been converted to diesel fuel and the bus has been reconditioned for Rs8 million,` he added.

Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani proposed in the meeting that the cost estimates for the renovation of 28 buses might be carried out first and then reconditioning be started, if feasible.

It was proposed that these 28 buses, after renovation, may be used as a shuttle service from Numaish up to old Radio Pakistan building or Tower which ultimately would be the route of Red Line BRT.

The CM directed the KMC to work out a plan for the renovation of its 28 buses for the provincial government. `If the renovation proposal is approved, the transport department would be assigned the task of upgrading them and putting them on the route or turning them into shuttle service as suggested.