CDA Board announces increase in Metro Buses fares in Islamabad excluding Red Metro

Metro Buses Fares

ISLAMABAD: The board of the Capital Development Authority approved an increase in fares for three routes of Islamabad’s Metrobus service.

The CDA board tabled the proposal for fare hikes on Tuesday and subsequently approved it.

The CDA is expected to announce a notification for the fare increase soon. So far, the CDA is not increasing the fare of the Red Metro that runs on the Pindi to Secretariat route.

The board of the CDA approved the fares for the Green Line from Rs 30 to 50. It operates from PIMS to Bhara Kahu. The Blue Line fare also increased to Rs 50, from the existing Rs 30 fare. It runs from PIMS to the Koral route in Islamabad.

The Orange Line’s fare, which runs from Faiz Ahmed Faiz station to 26 Number and Islamabad Airport, has been increased from Rs50 to Rs90. The fare for Faiz Ahmed Faiz to 26 Number route will be Rs 50, against the existing Rs 30. From 26 Number, another Metrobus leaves for the airport.

CDA Chairman Captain (R) Anwaar ul Haq said that the Metro Buses fare increase for the Metrobus is unavoidable. He said the authority lacked the funds to sustain the buses at subsidized rates.

IMF rejects government’s plan of relief for power consumers

Meanwhile,

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has rejected the interim government’s electricity relief plan. The IMF has noted a disparity in the allocated funds for its implementation.

The IMF has sought a revised plan to provide relief to electricity consumers. A few days ago, the caretaker government sent a plan to the IMF seeking approval for relief for the consumers.

However, the fund officials have rejected the plan, asking the government to revise it to avoid slippage in revenue.

Interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar has given two different deadlines that expired without relief to the masses.

IMF rejects the government’s plan for giving relief to power consumers.

The government’s assessment indicated that the relief proposed for consumers’ bills would have a revenue collection impact of less than Rs 6.5 billion. In contrast, the IMF projected that the plan would result in a revenue collection impact exceeding Rs15 billion, sources said.

Therefore, the IMF has requested Pakistan to provide a plan to bridge the financial gap, which the country is expected to submit once more.

This time, the interim government has assured the IMF that it will adhere to the budget while providing relief to the public.

Furthermore, the proposal for bill payments in installments will be reintroduced in discussions with the lender.