PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has finalised an agreement with Chinese company Golden Dragon for the procurement of additional buses to strengthen the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network.

Under the deal, Golden Dragon will provide two 12-metre-long buses free of cost, while the provincial government will purchase 50 more of the same type.

Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Transport Rangaiz Khan confirmed the development, saying the provincial cabinet had approved the agreement in its meeting last week.

Officials said the 50 new buses would be deployed on Khyber Road, Ring Road and Bara Road to meet rising demand.

Currently, 244 buses operate on 18 routes of the Peshawar BRT, while officials estimate a requirement of 300 more buses to expand services to 24 new routes.

Sources said the new fleet would be procured under the same 2017-18 agreement through which 220 buses were earlier purchased from Golden Dragon, followed by 24 more to address shortages.

The new order is priced at $155,530 per bus, amounting to Rs3.2 billion in total. The procurement, expected to be completed within six months, would result in savings of $2 million, officials added.

The two buses being supplied free of cost are valued at Rs88 million.

On July 14, the provincial government had conditionally approved the purchase, directing Golden Dragon to provide two buses free of charge before the larger order was processed.

Officials said the fresh procurement would help ease passenger load and extend services to underserved routes.