The shuttle service was restricted in University of Karachi on the pretext that diesel is expensive

The Department of Transport of University of Karachi, justifying the continuous increase in diesel prices, has limited the transportation of shuttle service in the university campus and has also reduced the shuttle hours in the morning and evening, which has reduced the university from one to one. Students going to other departments or faculties are facing serious difficulties.

In extreme heat, students are forced to travel several kilometers on foot or they are seen asking for a lift from private vehicles going from one place to another in the campus, while the shuttle service is also empty for people coming to University of Karachi to perform various tasks. Only found.

This situation has come to light at a time when 8 new buses purchased with HEC funds have become part of the university’s shuttle and point buses, while 4 buses operated by the previous city government were recently given to University of Karachi. have gone

On the other hand, University of Karachi has a private shuttle service, but its number is already limited, which also charges Rs.20 to the students. This private shuttle service has only 8 vehicles while Karachi University has 45,000 students studying in the morning and evening and according to a careful estimate, several thousand more people visit the campus every day for carrying out various educational and teaching matters. .

Due to the limited shuttle service, people going from one place to another in the campus are facing difficulties and this is being taken advantage of by the rickshaw mafia within the university, who have regularly set up their stands inside the campus and are begging for money. Receive and deliver the ride from one place to another.

It is being told that there is a silent agreement between the University of Karachi’s transport department and the rickshaw mafia due to which the shuttle service and its timings have been restricted in the university. It is noteworthy that the temperature of Karachi in the morning is around 30 degrees Celsius and in the intensity of this heat, now at the beginning of Ramadan, male and female students are forced to travel on foot while fasting.

Amna Ali, a student of Islamic Learning, told “Express” that she and hundreds of students including her are facing this problem, after 10 o’clock when we leave our department to go to another department or faculty. Shuttle service is not available if desired.

The said student said that earlier the point of Manzoor Colony in her area was closed, at that time the transport in-charge was Qadir Muhammad Ali, who took immediate notice of our complaint and resolved it, but now it is known that he have retired, we have also applied to the new in-charge in this regard but no hearing was done.

It is noteworthy that the students of the Department of Pharmacy, Department of Computer Science and Department of Mass Communication are the most affected by this situation because these departments are located on the highway between the Applied Economics Research Center and the Metroval Gate and due to the lack of shuttle service. After traveling for several kilometers, one can reach Muskan Gate or Silver Jubilee Gate.

A student of the pharmacy department said, “When she and her classmates come out of the department, they are forced to walk in the hot sun or pay 20 rupees to sit in a private shuttle, but the private shuttle is even less.” Rarely found”.

It should be noted that as per the shuttle service schedule traditionally released on the commencement semester, this service is to be available in the morning, afternoon and evening hours. In the morning hours from 10:30 to 1:00 a.m. shuttle service is to be operated to Silver Jubilee Gate, Muskan Gate, Metroval Gate and Sheikh Zayed Gate in large numbers, but this service stops at 9:30 a.m.

“Express” contacted Dildar Khan, a Grade 16 employee who is in charge of the Transport Secretary, in this regard, he initially gave a very ridiculous justification that “the buses that bring students from the city to the campus were sent to the workshop.” They have to check their fitness because again in the afternoon these buses go to the city so we run shuttle service till 9:30. Then how the shuttle service used to run till noon, on which he revealed that now diesel has become expensive, we charge students only 10 rupees for the fare to different areas of the city and the expenses are not covered, that’s why the shuttle service after 9:30 It doesn’t happen.

It should be noted that after the addition of 8 new buses, 29 buses of Karachi University are currently operational. After getting the former city government buses, its number is 33 and adding 8 more buses standing for repair in the workshop, this number becomes 41. However, the city government buses are yet to be shifted from CNG to diesel engine while the workshop 8 buses are waiting for funds for repairs. On the other hand, there are 6 separate buses which are defunct and have to be auctioned.