Addressing commuter woes: Karachi metro bus project set for approval

Centre will fully fund Rs15.4b Green Line Bus Rapid Transit System.


Shahbaz Rana November 27, 2014

ISLAMABAD:


The federal government is set to clear on Friday a rapid transit project for Karachi costing Rs15.4 billion aimed at easing the woes of commuters in the country’s largest city.


The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) will consider the project in a meeting to be chaired by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman and Federal Minister of Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal.

The Green Line Bus Rapid Transit System from Municipal Park, Saddar to K-Electric Power House Chowrangi, Surjani Town will be fully funded by the federal government. The scheme is not part of the current year’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) worth Rs525 billion approved by the National Assembly in June.



The project is being undertaken on the directives of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and funds will be diverted from ongoing schemes. During a visit to Karachi in July this year, Sharif had announced a federal grant of Rs15 billion for the metro bus project.

CDWP has powers to approve projects valuing up to Rs3 billion and for schemes costing a higher amount it sends recommendations to the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) for final approval.

In a break with past practices, the government has abolished the prime minister’s discretionary fund for executing development schemes. However, the projects that the premier deems fit can be included in the development programme on his directives.



A delegation of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) met Sharif last month, where it emphasised the need for completing development projects in Karachi. The delegates also brought to the premier’s notice the incomplete projects in the city such as the Lyari Expressway, Circular Railway and water and sewerage schemes.

Overall, the CDWP in its Friday meeting will review 18 development schemes costing roughly Rs75 billion. A project of widening and strengthening the Rakhi Gajj-Bewata section of the National Highway costing Rs20.8 billion is part of the agenda.

Since coming to power in June last year, the PML-N government has approved 240 projects worth Rs3.8 trillion for various sectors of the economy. This has put a strain on the already scarce financial resources as the country’s debt servicing cost increases at a rapid pace because of heavy reliance on borrowing.

At present, 1,144 development schemes valuing Rs6.2 trillion are part of the federal PSDP.

The value of federally-funded development projects has increased 41% or Rs1.8 trillion in just one year, which will lead to delay in completion of projects if existing resources are distributed to the total portfolio.

CDWP will also consider setting up an emergency rescue service 1122 in the Islamabad Capital Territory at a cost of Rs751.2 million. For improving the land record management system in Punjab, a project worth Rs10 billion will be taken up for consideration by the body.

It will also review the second phase of the machine readable passport project costing Rs3.3 billion. With expenses estimated at Rs11 billion, the establishment of a 500kv substation in Faisalabad will be discussed for better management of the electricity load.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28th, 2014.

Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.

COMMENTS (13)

US Centcom | 9 years ago | Reply

I hope this project comes to fruition as soon as possible. The picture above says it all, and I am sure it will make life a lot easier for these commuters.

Ali Khan Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM

salman | 9 years ago | Reply

PPP will never let this happen. We have been reading about mass transit project for Karachi for the last decade or so but nothing practical step has been taken yet. Many such projects comes and goes so its fate is already sealed as long as PPP is in power in Sindh.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ