Punjab MassTransit Losing Millions of Rupees Due to Lockdown
The transport services offered by Orange Line train, metro bus service, and feeder routes were suspended
With the surge of the third wave of coronavirus in Pakistan, Punjab province is greatly impacted as the tally of cases is rapidly increasing day by day and under the partial lockdown, the Mass Transit Authority (MTA) has faced losses of around Rs 190 million in 14 days.
Due to the micro lockdown, the mass transit system in major cities of Punjab has been completely suspended.
To control the covid-19 pandemic, the Punjab government had decided to shut down inter-city transport in different cities.
The Orange Line train, metro bus service, and feeder routes running under the mass transit system have been closed that is causing a loss of millions of rupees on daily basis.
The Orange Line Metro Train, Lahore Metro Bus Service, and busses on feeder routes operating in the provincial capital Lahore were also closed besides the buses of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Service, Multan Metro Bus Service, and Multan Feeder Routes were suspended from operations too.
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According to statistics for the first two months of this year received by News360, 93,186 persons traveled daily in Lahore Metro Bus Service against a fare of Rs 30 and thus earning remained Rs 2.7 million per day.
Moreover, an average of 85,785 people traveled daily in Lahore feeder routes and it earned them around Rs 1.6 million per day.
In Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Service, an average of 75,807 people traveled against a fare of Rs 30, which makes more than Rs. 2.2 million per day.
Some, 30,490 people traveled in Multan Metro Bus Service daily on payment of Rs 20 fare while Multan Feeder routes buses carried an average of 31,041 people daily.
MTA sources said that the Lahore Metro Bus carries an average of 90,000 passengers, the Orange Line Metro Train carries an average of 72,000 passengers and the Lahore Feeder Routes carries an average of 80,000 passengers.
There was a loss Rs 2.88 million per day in the Orange Line train and Rs 43.2 million in 14 days.
On Lahore Feeder Routes, an average of 80,000 people travel daily and thus a loss of around Rs 20 million in 14 days was recorded.
Similarly, Pindi Metro bus service transports an average of 70,000 people daily and thus the authority suffered a loss of around Rs 30 million in 14 days.
Multan Metro Bus Service and Multan Feeder Routes used to carry an average of 55,000 to 60,000 passengers per day.
On the other hand, if all these deficits are added up, the MassTransit Authority has faced a loss of about Rs 190 million in 14 days.
Talking to News 360, MTA officials said, “The authority pays private companies per kilometer”.
Further, the management said, “The monthly electricity bill of Lahore Orange Line train is Rs 90 million. Lahore Metro Bus has a subsidy of Rs. 2 billion from the government while Islamabad-Rawalpindi Metro Bus has a subsidy of Rs.1.5 billion”.
