Peshawar - The Bus Rapid Transit project has been under criticism after the service faced a problem for a third time since its inauguration on August 13.
Late Friday night, a bus of BRT developed a fault in Gulbahar area, causing suspension of the service. The bus was tow-chained to a crane and taken to the depot for repair.
Social media has been flooded with photos, videos of the out-of-order BRT bus. This correspondent also witnessed a huge crowd of people, including women and children, having gathered at the Saddar station of BRT.
“We have been waiting here for the last 30 minutes but no bus has arrived to take us to the city areas,” said one of the passengers.
Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated the BRT on August 13 and the next day, crowds of people stormed the corridor and beat up guards and management for mismanagement as the exit machines developed fault, causing a crowd to gather at a station. Later the police force was deployed at BRT stations to control law and order.
Last week too, a bus had developed fault, and later had to be taken to the depot through a crane.
Alamgir Khan, a spokesman for TransPeshawar, the department set up to manage the service, told The Nation that the bus developed technical fault but the service was restored after 35 minutes after the bus was shifted to the depot and road was cleared for the buses.
“The vehicles normally develop faults with usage, it is not something strange and it should not be made an issue. But restoration of service within 25 minutes should also be appreciated,” Alamgir added.