The Rawalpindi and Islamabad Metro Bus Service has reduced its working hours as part of government’s energy conservation measures with one hour cut from the night schedule.
Under the new timings bus services will now end at 9:00 pm. Metro stations will remain open until 9:40 pm to cater to those already within the system.
All the last buses from both Rawalpindi and Islamabad will leave at the same time – at 9:00 pm.
This change is part of broader efforts by government on how to control energy consumption in the face of mounting concern over fuel usage.
Officials cited the situation with fuel globally with so many countries having shortages and queues at petrol stations.
However, they assured the public that there has been no possibility of Pakistan’s petroleum supplies to become unbalanced and out of control.
Authorities have called on the citizens to cooperate with these measures, stressing the importance of conserving energy and using resources efficiently during this period.
In a similar development, the Punjab’s Mass Transit Authority announced raises in the bus charges of the metro in various parts of the province.
The slightly revamped ticket rates would be affecting the commuters who rely on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services in major cities such as Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, etc.
Officials have blamed the fare hike on rising fuel costs and increasing costs of running the metro bus network.
According to an official notification, the standard one-way fare has been raised from Rs30 to Rs40 or an approximate 33 per cent increase.
The new fare takes effect on all the BRT corridors running under the provincial mass transit system, which also includes the Pakistan Metrobus network.
Metro bus services in Rawalpindi-Islamabad, Lahore and Multan, known for their red buses and special lanes, carry thousands of people on a daily basis, many of whom will now have to cope with increased travel costs.
Also read: Metro bus ticket price changes amid fuel hike: 33% increase
