BY : Maira Batool ( Szabist Karachi campus).
Karachi : The overall population of Karachi city is now 14.91 million, Karachi’s public transport system is failing to meet the needs od it’s residents. Most of people in Karachi depends on buses, minibuses and rakshaws for their daily travel. However the number of buses available is far below the city requirements. Buses playing on roads are less than the people need who are traveling through local transportation and this issue increasing in daily bases. According to a report by the Karachi urban transport corporation ( KUTC) the city needs around 15000 buses to meet their demands, yet less than 2000 buses are currently operational. This shortage means that many buses are overcrowded and uncomfortable, making daily commuting very difficult for the public.
The situation is particularly challenging for women. Many women in Karachi feel uncomfortable using the available transport options due to overcrowding and the lack of capacity spaces for them. The cramped conditions often lead to incidents of harassment, which makes it even harder for women to travel safely. For many women commuting becomes a daily struggle causing anxiety and stress. I hope this letter helps highlight the importance of addressing the public transport crisis in Karachi. It’s crucial for the authorities to provide a safe, reliable and affordable transport system that can serve everyone, especially women.
