Women’s exclusive: Wagon service to be launched in twin cities

RAWALPINDI: A transport service exclusively for women will be launched in the twin cities on February 17. A public-private partnership, the 12-fleet wagon service named “Tabeer” will be run in collaboration with two firms, Al-Abrar Associates and Zong. Briefing the media about the new service on Friday, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) Secretary Awais Manzoor Tarar said that the women in the twin cities face immense hardships at bus stops during peak hours causing frustration among them. He said that the initiative will enable the women to reach their destination on time. “The vans will provide a safe and dedicated service to the women of the twin cities,” he said. The exclusively branded vans will be run on route No-1 from Haider Road Saddar to Pak Secretariat Islamabad via Railway Station, Mareer Chowk and Faizabad on Muree Road. It will also commute on 19-kilometer-long route No-7 from Haj Complex to Swan Camp via Golra Morr, Kohinoor Mills, Pirwadhai Morr, Churr Chowk, Cheering Cross, Racecourse Ground, MH Chowk, Railway Station Kamran Chowk, district courts and Morgah Morr. The project will be self-sustainable and the revenue required for continuation of the project will be generated by branding of the vans. “This project (branding) will not only generate revenue but also provide employment to conductors who will be female,” said Tarar. He claimed that timings of the service would strictly be monitored. “There will be a complaint number in each van for passengers to lodge their complaints,” said the RTA secretary adding that the passengers will pay the same fare as they do in public transport. Tarar said that each van will carry 16 passengers and the service will be available from 7am to 7pm. He said that the vans will ply on alternative routes if the Muree Road is blocked for construction of an elevated bridge for the metro bus project. Published in The Express Tribune, February 8th, 2014.