Rain Outside, Rain Inside: Rawalpindi Metro Bus Springs a Leak
Video shared by journalist Azaz Syed appears to show rainwater dripping inside a Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus during Wednesday's heavy downpour, reviving concerns over maintenance of the twin cities' mass-transit system.
ISLAMABAD: A video circulating on social media showing rainwater apparently leaking into a Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus has renewed questions over the maintenance and weather resilience of the twin cities’ mass-transit system following another spell of intense monsoon rainfall.
Water Seen Leaking Inside Bus
The footage was shared on X by journalist Azaz Syed, who said the Metro Bus roof began leaking during heavy rain in Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
The video appears to show water dripping from the upper section of the bus and collecting on the floor.
The footage emerged as heavy monsoon rains disrupted normal life across Islamabad and Rawalpindi on August 19.
Nullah Lai crossed the 22-foot level at Katarian, prompting warning sirens and precautionary measures for vulnerable communities.
Similar Complaints Reported Earlier
The latest footage is particularly significant because rainwater leakage in the Metro system is not an entirely new complaint.
In March 2026, The Express Tribune reported passenger complaints of water entering Metro buses through windows and other areas during heavy rainfall.
The report said a passenger had recorded water continuously entering a bus travelling between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, while commuters also raised concerns over maintenance and congestion.
Similar problems were reported again during pre-monsoon rainfall in June, when leakage was reported at Metro Bus stations and passengers complained of rainwater entering buses through leaking roofs.
Rainwater Problems Date Back Years
Problems involving rainwater and the Metro infrastructure stretch back even further.
Shortly after the system opened in 2015, reports documented water entering stations and drainage problems along sections of the Metro corridor.
The recurring issue also comes as authorities and international partners examine ways of managing the large volume of rainwater generated along the Metro corridor.
A 2026 UN-Habitat-related proposal identifies the Rawalpindi portion of the Metro Bus Transit System as suitable for an integrated rainwater harvesting, storage and groundwater recharge system, noting that runoff from the elevated track contributes to inundation along Murree Road during heavy rainfall.
Questions Over Maintenance and Drainage
The latest video therefore adds to broader questions over whether maintenance and drainage arrangements across the Metro system are adequate for increasingly severe monsoon spells.
Islamabad Tribune could not independently establish from the video alone the exact bus, location or technical cause of the apparent leakage.
Any response from the relevant Metro Bus authorities should be incorporated when available.
