The Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit has launched a probe into the mechanical failure faced by its metro buses, as it announced to suspend its services till a detailed investigation is completed.
The bus rapid transit system was inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Aug 14 after multiply delays in the project. At least 128 buses ply the 27-kilometre BRT track that stop at 30 stations across the city.
However, soon after its inauguration, the project started to falter. On its inauguration day, a mob stormed the BRT corridor and injured the guard deployed to protect the BRT structure.
On Aug 27, a BRT metro bus caught fire near Hayatabad station. According to Rescue 1222, the fire erupted in the metro bus after its ‘battery compartment [reportedly] ignited’. Rescue 1122 firefighters extinguished the fire shortly afterward.
Kamran Bangash, a spokesperson for the KP government, had said the fire erupted on the roof of the bus and it was contained within minutes. The Bus Rapid Transit service is completely functional, Bangash said, urging the masses not to heed rumours.
However, on Sept 3, another metro bus caught fire near Phase VI of Hayatabad. The fire started in the bus while it was plying on a route near Hayatabad’s Phase VI area. Though the cause of the fire hasn’t been ascertained yet, all passengers were rescued immediately.
The multiple fire incidents have prompted the authorities to launch a probe into these failures, reported Express Tribune. The report quoted as an official as saying the two inquiries will be launched into the project-- one by the local authorities and the second will be conducted by the Chinese company that manufactured the buses.
In a statement on Wednesday, the BRT decided to suspend the service until a detailed investigation is completed. “Bus manufacturer’s team has arrived, and a detailed inquiry is underway,” the statement quoted by the newspaper said. “The decision to suspend the service was taken in the best interest of the public as the safety of passengers is the top priority for us,” it added.
The bus rapid transit system was inaugurated by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Aug 14 after multiply delays in the project. At least 128 buses ply the 27-kilometre BRT track that stop at 30 stations across the city.
However, soon after its inauguration, the project started to falter. On its inauguration day, a mob stormed the BRT corridor and injured the guard deployed to protect the BRT structure.
On Aug 27, a BRT metro bus caught fire near Hayatabad station. According to Rescue 1222, the fire erupted in the metro bus after its ‘battery compartment [reportedly] ignited’. Rescue 1122 firefighters extinguished the fire shortly afterward.
Kamran Bangash, a spokesperson for the KP government, had said the fire erupted on the roof of the bus and it was contained within minutes. The Bus Rapid Transit service is completely functional, Bangash said, urging the masses not to heed rumours.
However, on Sept 3, another metro bus caught fire near Phase VI of Hayatabad. The fire started in the bus while it was plying on a route near Hayatabad’s Phase VI area. Though the cause of the fire hasn’t been ascertained yet, all passengers were rescued immediately.
The multiple fire incidents have prompted the authorities to launch a probe into these failures, reported Express Tribune. The report quoted as an official as saying the two inquiries will be launched into the project-- one by the local authorities and the second will be conducted by the Chinese company that manufactured the buses.
In a statement on Wednesday, the BRT decided to suspend the service until a detailed investigation is completed. “Bus manufacturer’s team has arrived, and a detailed inquiry is underway,” the statement quoted by the newspaper said. “The decision to suspend the service was taken in the best interest of the public as the safety of passengers is the top priority for us,” it added.