OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE The Lahore Transport Company on Thursday made another claim that fleet of 200 new buses of international standard would be available for the residents of Lahore in October. Currently, there are less than 250 buses running at 53 routes of the City. The Punjab government, in 2009, had announced plans to import thousands of new buses. But even after passing two years, the provincial government could not add a single bus in the existing fleet of less than 250 buses. The LTC has been offering subsidies of Rs one million per diesel bus and Rs1.2 million per CNG bus, but no improvement in terms of bringing new buses was witnessed in this regard. In June 2011, the LTC finally signed an agreement with a Chinese company for 300 new buses and the first batch of 50 new CNG was to arrive in July, according to the then LTC claim. But that too has been delayed. However, the Company Chairman Khawaja Ahmed Hussain while presiding over the LTC Board of Directors meeting here on Thursday made another announcement that the fleet of 200 buses of international standard would reach in October, 2011. The Companys statement stated that LTC Vice-chairman Mehar Ishatiq, Transport Secretary Capt (rtd) Muhammad Yousaf, SSP Traffic Syed Ahmed Mobeen, newly appointed Board Director Yawar Irfan, LTC Chief Executive J.I. Kim, General Manager (Enforcement), Kamran Khan, General Manager (Finance) Adnan Muddassar, General Manager (Planning) Ozair Shah and others officers attended the meeting. According to the Chairman: Multinational and local transport companies are playing vital role in implementing the plan of action devised for modernized Urban Transport system. 300 old buses have been identified for refurbishment belongs to various Transport companies. LTC will provide Rs 400,000 each for the repair and maintenance of the old bus identified after due scrutiny and transparent process. Ahmed Hassan said that promotion of CNG was the cardinal feature of Urban Transport policy. He said that environment friendly transport would be introduced in the City. He said that Government would ensure uninterrupted supply of CNG to the Urban Transport even during load shedding of CNG. He said that duel fuel buses would be available for the public and these buses would have the capacity to operate on CNG as well as petrol. He said that enforcement wing of LTC was being made effective for maintenance of better traffic discipline in the city. He said that a new batch of Transport Enforcement Inspectors would be available w.e.f October 1, 2011. He directed the Enforcement wing to take action against unlawful Transport operating in the City. He also directed to take action against the manufacturing of unlawful transport so that sources of illegal and hazardous transport could be eliminated. He said traffic discipline of vans would be improved with the active assistance of traffic police. Chairman welcome newly appointed Board Director saying that the LTC would utilize the expertise and capabilities of Yawar Irfan in introducing affordable and efficient transport system in Lahore.