ISLAMABAD-After passing three years, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI), have failed to start the project of 22 feeder buses in Islamabad aiming to facilitate the general public by connecting different routes of Metro Bus stations.

According to detail available to this scribe, three years ago, the civic body had proposed a plan to start the feeder buses in Islamabad and in this regard, CDA had also estimated Rs 200 to 250 million per annum for the operation and maintenance of the feeder buses. The process for running these buses have to be completed within four months to augment the overall traffic facilities in Islamabad.

It was mentioned in the proposal that these buses will cover major routes and areas of the Capital city to facilitate the residents on the designated routes, a bus will operate after 30 minutes. The Authority had planned four routes for this purpose. First route will commence from Bhara Kahu upto Marghazar Zoo covering Dhokri, Aabpara, Federal Government Services Hospital (Policlinic) and F-6 Sector.

The second route was from Rawat to Faisal Mosque. Third was from Tarnol up to Fatima Jinnah (F-9) Park / Ibn-e-Seena road Metro station and would cover Sector G-13 and in between areas of G and F Series Sectors including Markaz G-9 (Karachi Company). The Fourth route had to operate up to I.J Principal Road Metro station commencing from Railway Carriage Factory.

On contacting Deputy Mayor Islamabad, Syed Zeeshan Naqvi, he said that due to non availability of funds, the project of feeder buses could not be started. He said that Mayor Islamabad Sheikh Anser Aziz has requested the federal government to release funds, so the project could commence in the capital to cater the traffic issues.