LAHORE - The Karachi Mass Transit Cell (KMTC) is planning to set up Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), Yellow Line Karachi Project. National Engineering Services Pakistan (Pvt.) Limited (NESPAK)’s services have been hired for preparing feasibility study of this project aimed at alleviating traffic congestion in the biggest city of Pakistan. So far, NESPAK has prepared the preliminary design, engineering and environmental impact assessment reports for the project.
The 26 kilometer route stretches from Dawood Chowrangi to Regal Chowk & Numaish Chowrangi via 8000 Road in Korangi Industrial Area, Korangi Road, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Shahrah-e-Quaideen and New M. A. Jinnah Road/Preedy Street. The proposed corridor was identified as one of the BRT corridors in Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Transport Master Plan, 2030 as ‘Yellow Line’. The objective of “Yellow Line” BRT Corridor Study was to prepare a feasibility report covering technical, financial, economic, legal and environmental aspects along with Transaction Advisory Services.
Out of total 26 kilometers corridor length, 4 kilometers will be elevated in congested areas. The project cost is approximately Rs. 13 billion.
The expected ridership along the corridor is about 148,000 per day in the year 2013 increasing to 231,000 by the year 2030. The project is designed to be convertible to Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, if required, when the demand will exceed the BRT capacity in future.
The project will be executed under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Mode with three main concession contractors i.e. Infrastructure Developer, Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) / Fare Collector, and Bus Operator. The project will offer a high quality public transport system to the general public alleviating congestion on surrounding roads and providing substantial travel time savings along the corridor with limited disturbance to the existing transport network.