The Sindh government has decided to induct 8,000 electric buses (e-buses) into the Peoples Bus Service (PBS) fleet over four years, with the first phase introducing 1,500 buses by 2025.
The decision came during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.
The National Energy and Transport Corporation (NETC), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Defence Production’s National Radio Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC), has proposed implementing the project in three phases. Fifty e-buses are already operational, and an additional 1,500 will be added in the first year.
The second phase will see another 1,500 buses, while 4,000 to 6,000 will be deployed in the final phase.
The NETC will develop charging infrastructure, depots, and bus stations, with plans for a one-gigawatt solar energy plant to be completed by the end of Phase 3.
The cabinet approved a contract between the Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) and the NETC to supply, operate, and maintain 100 electric buses under a rent-to-own model.
For the last quarter of the fiscal year (April-June 2025), the cabinet allocated Rs412.50 million and Rs1.65 billion annually over eight years for monthly payments related to the 100 e-buses.
An independent expert has been appointed to oversee the project’s technical, financial, and legal aspects.
