KARACHI: The free shuttle service initiated by city government last year for I. I. Chundrigar Road has been halted for last three week as service’s buses have went off the road without any official word from city government in this regard. People travelling on the buses of the shuttle service said that the buses have went off the road for last three weeks with out any announcement either by the city government or the concerned contractor to this effect. They said that they were facing immense problems due to the ‘closure’ of the service as entry of public transport has already been banned on the road. EDO Transport and Communication could not be contacted despite repeated attempt, as he was not attending the cell number.
However, sources in city government confirming the closure of the service told Online that the service was halted on April 7, 2007 owing to the digging of one portion of the road from Mereweather Tower to Habib Bank Plaza.
“The free shuttle service was being run from Arts Coucil to Mereweather Tower and after the excavation of a portion of the road the route was curtailed to Habib Bank Plaza. “As the distance from Arts Council to Habib Bank Plaza is not ‘too long’ and could be walked on foot, therefore the service was halted as the CDGK have to pay Rs 2,000 daily for each bus of the service. The sources said that the city government was contemplating to restore the old system of transport on the artery after its reconstruction.—Agency