Green BRT Karachi

Building a zero-emissions bus rapid transit (BRT) system that is safe and accessible to all.

Karachi is one of the most densely populated cities in the world with a population of 14.9 million, and is ranked very low in the 2017 Global Livability Report mainly due to its traffic congestion and induced air and noise pollution.

Its current public transportation system fails to provide mobility for all and is characterised by long commuter trip times, the rise of private vehicle ownership and paratransit modes, thus the decline in the use of public transport. Public transport services are currently only provided by informal paratransit vehicles. Vehicles in this informal network tend to be old and poorly maintained, leading to high fuel consumption, increased emissions, and higher operating costs. The vehicles are loaded beyond capacity to maximise passenger count which leads to very cramped conditions and serious safety issues to passengers as well as the general public.

This is the first dedicated low emissions Transport project presented to the Board.

The project aims to establish a 30 kilometre, fully segregated bus rapid transit (BRT) system operated with the “world’s first” biomethane hybrid bus fleet. The project includes innovative features such as a dedicated biogas plant covering 100% of the fuel demand and the last mile connectivity via bikes and e-pedicabs and includes flood proofing of the road.

The project has an estimated lifespan of 20 years.