KP govt launches ‘Pink Bus Service’

PESHAWAR – The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial government has launched a new hybrid bus service exclusively for women passengers, called the Pink Bus Service. Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi inaugurated several key projects, including the solarization of the Chamkani Depot and the newly established Mall of Hayatabad Depot, as part of efforts to expand and enhance Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services.

During the formal opening ceremony, the Chief Minister announced that women traveling in the Pink Buses would pay a fare 25 percent lower than other buses. He commended the women drivers for being role models for others. The BRT system currently serves around 250,000 commuters, with about 30 percent being women, and is reducing carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 30,000 tonnes annually. The expansion of the BRT system, with the addition of 52 new buses, has increased the total BRT fleet to 296 buses.

The Pink Bus Service is targeted at addressing the unique transportation needs of women. In the initial phase, five Pink Buses will run on selected routes during peak hours, with plans to gradually expand. The procurement and construction of 50 additional buses, valued at Rs6.2 billion, and another 50 buses in the current Annual Development Programme, at a cost of Rs5 billion, are underway. An additional Rs1.5 billion has been allocated for the full solarization of the BRT system, expected to lower electricity costs.

The ceremony also highlighted that Pakistan currently does not have a fully electric bus service, but Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's BRT system is the only one in the country with such an achievement. Solar panels installed at the Chamkani Depot have already generated annual savings of Rs76 million, thanks to a 1 MW solar power system that produces 1.44 million units of electricity annually.