Chamkani to Karkhano: 100 AC buses to keep city goers less hot under the collar

CM asks officials for suitable firm to run project

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has ordered a hundred air-conditioned buses be made operational from Chamkani to Hayatabad to improve public transport in the provincial capital. He issued these orders at a high-level meeting at the CM Secretariat. The Peshawar Mass Transit project was the topic on the agenda, said a press release issued on Sunday.

While briefing the meeting about the introduction of a hundred modern buses in the city, Secretary for Transport Zubair Asghar Qureshi said the route would start at corridor-2, from Chamkani, and end at Karkhano Market in Hayatabad. He added the bus service would also be introduced at Ring Road and Hayatabad Township.



Qureshi also highlighted the features of the Bus Rapid Transport project in the city, saying the feasibility study of the project was started in January and will be completed by August. Work on the engineering design of the project will start in July and be completed by November.

The work on corridor-2, from Chamkani to Hayatabad, will start in January 2017, Qureshi was quoted as saying. He added corridor-2 will cost Rs20 billion and be paid for by Asian Development Bank as a loan to the provincial government.

According to the press release, Khattak ordered authorities to increase the number of buses with the passage of time. He also asked authorities to look for a suitable firm to handle the project.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 29^th,  2016.