Strengthening the capital’s transition toward sustainable urban mobility, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Friday inaugurated a new fleet of electric buses along with a purpose-built depot and charging station, marking a significant expansion of Islamabad’s eco-friendly public transport network.
With the latest induction, the number of electric buses operating across 21 routes has risen to 160.
After the launch ceremony, Naqvi inspected the facilities and took a ride on an electric bus with senior officials, receiving a comprehensive briefing on fleet operations, depot management, and charging infrastructure.
Naqvi praised the project team for its timely execution, noting that the service is already being used by 125,000 passengers daily, with plans to increase ridership to 250,000.
He added that special focus has been placed on ensuring accessibility for students across major routes.
The minister also announced that the electric bus service will be extended to Rawat, further integrating with the existing Metro Bus system to help alleviate traffic congestion in the twin cities.
He confirmed that the Rawalpindi-Islamabad local rail service is being restored, and that HIT Pakistan is preparing to start local manufacturing of electric buses.
Officials briefed that the new depot can accommodate 64 charging units, with 50 already installed and 14 more to be added soon. Each charger can power two buses within two hours, and the entire system has been integrated with Google for real-time monitoring and navigation.
The ceremony was attended by the chief commissioner of Islamabad, the IG Islamabad police, the deputy commissioner of Islamabad, and other senior officers.
