Facilitating commuters: Second phase of the Metro Bus route soon

Bosan says after the second phase is complete, up to 0.2 million people will be able to travel on it daily

MULTAN:

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is planning to announce the commencement of the second phase of the Metro Bus project in Multan district soon, MPA Shaukat Hayat Khan Bosan said on Wednesday. He was addressing an open court at the Bosan Town Hall.

He said this will facilitate residents of Jalalpur Pirwala, Shujabad, and the outskirts of Multan. “If lawyers agree to shift their chambers to the New Kutchery, the route will be extended from Kumharan Chowk to Kasuri Chowk and from Wapda Town to New Kutchery.

Once the second phase of the project is complete, up to 0.2 million people will be able to commute on Metro Buses daily, he said. “This project will solve problems of transportation for the residents of Multan and its outlying villages for the next 20 years.”

Bosan said that the new route would not only provide comfortable and affordable transportation to citizens and lawyers but will also provide relief to the students of Women’s University, employees of the Welfare Complex, residents of the Government Employees’ Society and the residents of several private housing societies.

Bosan said the route designed for Metro Bus Project phase 2 was spread over 18.5 kilometres. It would link Chungi 9 to Kutchery, the High Court, Aziz Hotel, Double Phatak, Lakkar Mandi and Ghalla Mandi to BCG Chowk.

However, one corridor will pass from Double Phatak to Chowk Nag Shah and the second track from Chungi 9 to Kumharanwala Chowk through Rasheedabad Chowk.

Bosan said the Metro Bus track leading to Nagshah Chowk would ensure affordable commute to citizens travelling to the district and sessions courts and offices of the district administration from Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujabad. He said students of Nawaz Sharif Agriculture University, located on Old Shujabad Road, would be able to travel from Multan to the university on the Metro Bus.

Several people at the open court shared their reservations and concerns with the lawmaker.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st, 2016.