ISLAMABAD, June 11 (ABC): Karachi’s Yellow Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project will receive 256 electric buses and is expected to serve up to 300,000 passengers daily after completion.
According to project documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the Yellow Line BRT will operate as a modern third-generation transit system integrated with the Karachi Breeze Network. The World Bank is supporting the project, which aims to improve public transport services in Pakistan’s largest city.
Dedicated corridor to connect key areas
The 21-kilometre BRT corridor will run from Dawood Chowrangi to Numaish. It will also connect with the common corridor extending to Tower. The route will include 28 stations. Of these, 22 will be at ground level while six will be underground.
Project targets high passenger volume
Project planners expect the system to carry between 260,000 and 300,000 passengers every day. Annual ridership could reach nearly 78 million commuters.
The new transport network will also save around 3.6 million passenger-hours each year. Faster travel times and better service reliability will drive these gains.
Buses on the corridor will travel at average speeds of 21 to 26 kilometres per hour. Current traffic speeds on many Karachi roads remain below 10 kilometres per hour.
256 electric buses to join fleet
Authorities plan to deploy 256 electric buses on the corridor. The fleet will include 19 buses measuring 9 metres, 133 buses measuring 12 metres and 104 articulated buses measuring 18 metres.
Officials have also included an 8 percent reserve fleet to maintain uninterrupted service. The transport system will operate through six direct routes and three feeder services. These routes will help passengers from surrounding neighbourhoods reach the main BRT corridor more easily.
Operations targeted for 2028
Construction work on the Yellow Line project is continuing. Authorities aim to launch BRT operations in January 2028. Suppliers will start delivering electric buses in February 2028, according to the project documents.
The project ranks among Sindh’s largest investments in sustainable urban transport. It is expected to reduce traffic congestion, shorten commuting times and encourage environmentally friendly travel across Karachi.
