On the request of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), the National Radio and Telecommunications Company (NRTC) has begun production of electric buses.
According to CDA sources, NRTC has informed the CDA that bus production has begun. Next month, the NRTC will deliver the first batch of 30 electric buses.
The drivers would be educated after the first batch of NRTC electric buses arrives, according to CDA officials. After two weeks of driver training, these buses will be on Islamabad’s roads in the first week of June. In the first phase, these buses will operate on two routes, connecting IJP and Taramri to the Central Metro Bus System.
CDA officials say feeder buses will run on 13 routes in Islamabad. Almost 100,000 people will be served by these buses, which will provide world-class travel facilities. In June and July, CDA will get the second and third batches of 70 buses from NRTC.
During the tenure of former chairman Captain (Retd) Usman, the CDA published a tender for 200 electric buses for 13 routes; however, the authority opted to re-issue the tender due to interest from only two businesses.
As the civic agency dismissed the bids and decided to consider fresh ones, the decision was reached to purchase buses from NRTC. After lengthy discussions, it was agreed that the NRTC would provide 200 electric buses to operate on the new routes.