| Shehbaz says public money is wasted by delaying the
project that runs from Peshawar Morr to new airport
ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while inspecting the Islamabad Metro bus service directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to immediately hold inquiry into four years delay in the completion of the project and make sure to operationalize the bus service from April 16.
The premier on his first day in office had ordered to make the bus service functional in five days and on Thursday morning he also visited the metro bus depot at Peshawar Morr, where he got briefing from the concerned officers. He was accompanied by Secretary General Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz Ahsan Iqbal, former parliamentarians from twin cities whereas the commissioner Rawalpindi, Chairman NHA and Chairman CDA were also present on the site.
On the occasion, the prime minister visited the metro track on the bus along with all concerned officers. He also ordered to waive off the metro bus fare for the remaining month of Ramazan. “The Metro Bus project from Peshawar Morr to Airport is still incomplete after 5 years”, Shehbaz Sharif wrote on his twitter handle, adding; “Have ordered inquiry into delay and quick completion of remaining work.” He stated further that it is unfortunate that public welfare projects suffered delays and cost overruns. He added that almost all sectors of the economy remained stagnant under Imran Khan.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister also said that the mass transit systems are the way forward to provide citizens dignified, inexpensive and environment-friendly transport service.
He ordered a feasibility report on expanding the network of Metro Bus System to other areas of the capital as well.
He directed to establish a metro bus station on the motorway for better connectivity and to enhance the benefit of the service to a maximum number of people.
He directed the officials concerned to make TORs of the inquiry to assess the reasons for the delay that led to the loss of national wealth.
The prime minister suggested ensuring the installation of racks in the buses to accommodate the luggage of passengers en route the airport.
He directed running free-of-cost service for a trial period until the installation of ticketing machines.
It is pertinent to mention here that the inquiry ordered by the Prime Minister would ultimately haunt some key officers of NHA and the Ministry of Communications, who remained sitting on the project for years.
The Islamabad Metro Bus project was approved in January 2017 to link the New Islamabad International Airport (NIIA) to the capital.
Originally, the project was to be completed in August 2017 but was further extended to December 2017 and August 2018 while its last deadline was December 2018.
On April 12, 2017, the ECNEC had approved the project at a rationalized cost of Rs16.428 billion against the proposed cost of Rs16.86 billion.
It is worth noting here that an amount of Rs.12.22 billion was spent on the said project in the financial year 2017-18 while remaining Rs.4.22 billion was allocated in the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) of 2018-19.
However, the successive government of Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf did not release the funds on political grounds that were otherwise allocated in the budget.
Resultantly, the Metro Bus project, which was ninety percent completed before end of the previous government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz but it faced a delay of ‘years’ in the next government.
The project includes the construction of a dedicated, two-lane, signal-free corridor — 9.60 – 10.40 meter wide sections on the ground and in trenches and 22.50 – 23.70 meter at stations.
Moreover, a three-lane carriageway with shoulders on either side of the metro corridor from the Golra Morr Interchange to the Grand Trunk (GT) Road Interchange are also its part to ensure the free flow of traffic and turnings along with the construction of flyovers and underpasses on existing roads and allied works.
The officials of the National Highway Authority and CDA briefed the prime minister about the project.
It was highlighted that initially 30 buses would be run on the 24-kilometers-long track from Peshawar More to Islamabad International Airport. Fifteen buses will be taken from Punjab Mass Transit Authority, Rawalpindi, till the new fleet is added to Islamabad metro service.
The prime minister was informed that CDA was temporarily operating on behalf of the government, while a separate Metro Bus Authority was required to be formulated.
The buses will be covered in orange skin for route coding. The NHA to N5 station will take 6-8 minutes and from N5 to the airport around 25-30 minutes. The shuttle service will be run on a stretch of 11 kilometres.