ISLAMABAD: The Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) has decided to purchase 70 more buses for schools and colleges of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) through a transparent bidding process. According to an official, a total of 139 buses were providing pick and drop facilities to the students of the ICT educational institutes of the Federal Directorate of Education. Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has accorded approval to purchase 200 buses for facilitating the students of far flung areas in phases. After the purchase of 70 buses, 130 more would be purchased in the next phase. The transport is being purchased under the Prime Minister’s Education Sector Reforms Programme to provide pick and drop facilitate to far flung area students. He said CADD had asked the interested registered dealers/firms/ manufacturers to submit their sealed bids by Jun 27, for the supply of 70 buses by Jun 27. Each bus should have 65 seats, and a diesel-powered engine of 7000 cc. The interested firms have been directed to submit their separate bids by paying a Rs 1,000 non refundable tender fee along with two per cent (refundable) of the bid amount to the Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO), CADD. The bidders must write the cost of each unit, free maintenance, supply of spare parts, warranty, etc along with the bids. Details regarding the supply of busses were available at www.fde.edu.pk; www.mocad.gov.pk and www.ppra.org.pk , he added. Under the PM’s package, he said the renovations/upgradation of 22 educational institutes had already been completed, the sources said adding that the educational institutes were being provided necessary facilities including toilets, boundary walls, barbed wires, clean drinking water, white boards, IT labs etc. The PC-I for renovation/upgradation of 200 more buildings of educational institutes is ready. The school buildings would be renovated at a cost of over Rs 50 million. The CADD regulates these educational institutions totaling 422 through the Federal Directorate of Education. Currently, the FDE schools and colleges are short of buses to the misery of their students, especially those living in far-off areas. The education reforms programme is watched over by the prime minister’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz through a committee comprising some MNAs and FDE officials. Under it, the ICT schools are to be upgraded through provision of facilities, including buses, and appointment of teachers.