The Government of Balochistan has initiated major transport projects in the province as part of a comprehensive drive toward modern and inclusive public transportation. These initiatives include the introduction of Pink Bus services and Green Bus services. Pink Bus Services are exclusively dedicated to women and female students, whereas the Green Bus Services are offered to general commuters. This is a major move towards combating transport issues in cities and increasing safety and movement in cities such as Quetta or Turbat.
Municipalizing Transport: The Green Bus Service
The Green Bus Service that originally had a small fleet in Quetta has been expanded considerably. The provincial government has expanded the fleet size from only eight to 25 environmentally friendly and modern buses as an indication of the measures towards alleviating the traffic stress, enhancing the convenience of the commuters and ensuring that commuters have environmentally friendly transportation.
These green buses are now operating on long routes between Sona Khan and Kuchlak, which has allowed wide access to transport by the people. Turbat has also received four buses, which have benefited people in other cities.
Women Mobile Empowered: Pink Bus Service
It is the first Pink Bus Service in the history of Balochistan that is female-only, which is designed to cover the existing transportation and safety issues experienced by women commuters. This initiative will be run in cooperation with the already existing green fleet, offering safe, dignified, and committed travel services to women and female students on major urban routes.
Vision of Chief Minister of Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti
During the official opening of the Pink Bus Service, Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti termed the initiation as a revolutionary move that would help advance the travel facilities of the women and the development of modern transport infrastructure in the province. He underlined the idea that the empowerment of women is the key to social development and that the government is determined to offer safe, quality and inclusive transport to all the citizens.
Chief Minister of Balochistan Mir Sarfaraz Ahmed Bugti has also declared they will extend the Green Bus Service to the surrounding districts of Pishin and Mastung. This is an indication of the provincial government’s interest in improving mobility outside of the provincial capital.
Official Document of Hayat Khan Kakar, secretary of transport
Secretary Transport Hayat Khan Kakar says that the introduction of the new buses and the growth of both services constitute a big change in the transportation sector in the province. He observed that the government is striving to ensure that travelling in Balochistan is clean, secure, and comfortable, which are pink buses that are specifically built to meet the demands of women commuters.
The Implication of This on Balochistan
The Green and Pink Bus programmes are not just new cars on the road; they represent a larger development agenda that puts an emphasis on:
- Low-cost mobility among everyday commuters;
- Women- and student-friendly safe traveling
- Environmental friendliness by using green means of transport
The connectivity of cities outside of Quetta to other growing cities.
The local residents have welcomed such services since they have not only improved the reliability of the public transport but have also given them a feeling of security due to the women-only Pink bus services.
