Daily Times

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Secretary (CS) has directed Board of Revenue, Transport Department, Local Government Department (LGD) and Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) to ensure the completion of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) Green Bus Line Project by June 30, 2019.

The CS, in his directives, also urged the incoming Sindh government to purchase 121 Green Line and Orange Line buses before the completion of federal government work on the project.

The BRTS project which cost Rs 25 billion (bn) was inaugurated by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 2016. The federal government project was supposed to be completed in two years but bottlenecks like redesigning and inclusion of 3.5 kilometres phase two extension from Guru Mandir to Municipal Parknear Sabri Nihari delayed its completion.

Karachi Infrastructure Development Company (KIDC) which was set up by the federal government was given the responsibility of installing the required infrastructure for the BRTS project.

To complete the route, three underpasses need to be constructed at Agha Khan Road, Daudpota Road and Numaish respectively. Moreover a flyover at Taj Complex and another one at Tibet Centre have to be built.

The route would be fully functional after a three storey subway is built at Numaish. The subway would serve as a converging point for a total of 30 buses from Blue Line, Red Line and Green Line.

According to Green Bus Line project manager Zubair Channa, the stretch of Numaish Chowrangi area ranging from Nawa-e-Waqt office to Capri Cinema would be closed for all type of vehicular traffic at midnight August 14, 2018 owing to construction activities.

“In the meantime, an alternative route of Soldier Bazaar,Preedy Street, People Secretariat, Kashmir Road, Shahrah-e-Quaideen has been announced for plying vehicular traffic,” he added

Channa said that the remaining work which included the construction of a control room in Garden East, the installation of a lift, the renovation of a hall and the installation of cable network would be completed soon. “This segment of project would be completed by October 2018,” he informed.

“Federal government has so far released Rs 17.3 bn for the project and approximately Rs 8.7 bn would be released in three instalments would be expected in three installments by latest,” said the project manager.

Zubair Channa was of the view that the land dispute for bus depot in Surjani Town with Karachi Development Authority (KDA) would be resolved after parlays between the Transport Department and LGD.

While SMTA Director General Muhammad Athar admitted that there had been delays in both the Green Bus Line project and Orange Bus Line project (which was set to be completed within eight months in 2016), he said that he was hopeful that both the projects would be ready by October this year.

“Relocation and shifting of utility lines and legal hitches caused delays but efforts are underway to make both lines operational by October,” he added.

Muhammad Athar revealed that preparations were also being made to launch more BRT services. He explained that Red Line which would extend from Model Colony to University Road via Safora Goth would be completed on loans from Asian Development Bank.

Around 21 bus stations out of 25 stations on 22.7 kilometers route from Surjani Town to Guru Mandir have been semi completed. Similarly, up gradation of 8 kilometer long route has been mostly completed from Nagan Chowrangi to Nazimabad number 3.

The elevated party of the project comprising of 14 km has also been completed, save for some face lifting work. Work on the remaining 4 bus stations in the metropolis is underway.

Reportedly, officials of SMTA notified the Sindh government that SMTA was planning on adding a third phase to the BRT system after borrowing from the World Bank.

The third phase includes the addition of a 14 km long route linking Sabri Chowk to Merewether Tower. The provincial government is also planning on extending a route to West Wharf.

A consultant company has already submitted a report to the Sindh government on the feasibility of this extension and given the government a go ahead signal.

Orange Bus Line from DMC west office Oragni to Board of Secondary Education Office is also nearing completion. This project was supposed to be completed in ten month by December 2016, but it was also delayed.

Published in Daily Times, August 13^th 2018.