Unbridled population growth, rural to urban mass influx and rising vehicular number had made our major cities suffocating as smog engulfs them in very onset of every winter till the end of season exposing thousands to serious ailment.
Faisalabad, third largest city of the country with over four million urban population is also a victim of this phenomenon with thousands smoke emitting vehicles plying on its roads making it stuffy and polluted, creating health and travelling issues.
Pollution caused by loaders, busses, cars, bikes, rickshaws etc with many using sub-standard fuel as well as brick kilns and industrial units releasing smoke, liquid and solid waste cumulatively make lives of people miserable. Improper implementation of environmental laws, poor urban planning and absence of mass transit system also emerge as major factors to aggravate this situation. As experts suggest solutions like strict action against environment polluting vehicles and industrial units, they also advocate a holistic traffic and mass transit system to rid people of the nuisance of QingQi rickshaws. Although road transport system in the city at present usually seems like uncontrollable. But, a couple of past experiences offer varying results when this sector was successfully regulated.
“Tasneem Noorani, the Commissioner Faisalabad in early 1990s was the pioneer to upgrade city’s master plan and regulated buildings and urban transport. His initiative of Faisalabad Urban Transport System (FUTS) was widely appreciated,” said Rana Munir Ahmed, a retired government official. “Thereon, this legacy was carried forward by Deputy Commissioner Naseem Sadiq.”
“Now once again, the city direly needs a well-planned mass transit system to reduce vehicular population on roads, control traffic congestion and facilitate commuters,” he said. “It would also help reduce vehicular emission and pollution.” The existing urban transport system was launched in 1994 on 20 routes as a cheap and affordable service to benefit almost 1.7 million Faisalabad residents. But in the absence of proper follow up this system deteriorated with the population grew to four millions making it more messy and stuffy.
The gap occurring due to insufficiency of urban transport was filled by QingQi rickshaws, an irritating and problematic mode of travelling that not only spoiled the traffic system but also environment. Similarly, a government project of big buses launched in 1999 on major city roads also faded away gradually, once again shifting the passengers load to private sector small wagons and rickshaws.
Therefore, taking cognizance of deteriorating situation, the present Punjab government is planning another systematic mass transit system to address the traffic and pollution issues in this city once called ‘Manchester of Pakistan.’
“Metro bus service would be a mega, affordable and comfortable intra-city transport facility for the residents,” informed Chaudhary Muhammad Asif, Managing Director (MD) Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA). “The present Punjab government has planned to run metro buses on 35 routes under a project to be completed in phases.”
He said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has come forward to fund this project to be completed at an estimated cost of Rs.70 billion to offer affordable and respectable travelling mode to middle class and low income groups.
“Initial work on this project is being completed in consultation with stakeholders. FDA would execute it and the government would provide 100 vehicles to ply on eight routes with heavy passengers load,” Asif said. “This network of environment-friendly buses can later be extended to other routes.”
According to local administration spokesman, the initial eight routes identified for these buses include from Gattwala Bridge to Bholay Di Jhuggi, Rehmat Abad to Montgomery Bazaar, Gattwala Bridge to Canal Station, Faisal Town to Rajbah Road, Montgomery Bazaar to Sadhar Bypass, Rail Bazaar to Chak Jhumra and from Satiana Bypass to Rajbah Road.
In second phase, he informed eight more routes would be added to system from Millat Road to Bakkar Mandi Road, Chak Jhumra to Bholay Di Jhugi, Diyal Garh to Millat Road, Rail Bazaar to D-Ground, Chaman Zar Colony to Chak No.8, Rajbah Road to Bibi Jaan Road, Allied Morr to new Sabzi Mandi and from Muslim Town to Rajbah Road.
“In remaining three phases, 370 standard buses would be added to this system to cover 35 routes in 40 kilometer radius of the city,” the spokesman explained.
As mass transit systems are often seen skeptically by the private transporters, they fear losing their business and seek a shared mechanism with their participation as well.
“The government should devise a comprehensive transport system on public-private partnership basis,” opined Anwar Khan, a wagon owner. “Faisalabad is a congested metropolis unsuitable for big buses and this experiment had failed in the past.”
He may be right but it seems like a shabby argument of vested interests as they fear it would hurt their monopoly. As if Metro bus service can be run in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, BRT in Peshawar and Green Line in Karachi, then why not a mass transit in Faisalabad.
Therefore, the government should briskly move forward on this project to ease out masses suffering as traffic on city roads presently feels like ungovernable and traffic wardens helpless due to massive load.