Bus Rapid Transport: Bahria Town, Chinese group ink Karachi transport deal

Huge influx of foreign investment expected

KARACHI: Development conglomerate Bahria Town has signed a framework document with China Railway 20 Bureau Group Corporation (CR20G) for collaboration on undertaking the development of a Bus Rapid Transit Blue Line (Blue Line) project in Karachi.

According to a press release, the agreement was signed by CR20G Chairman Deng Yong and Bahria Town Chairman Malik Riaz. CR20G, a subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, has vast experience in undertaking mass transit projects worldwide.

The group CR20G is already working in Pakistan on the Lahore-Abdul Hakeem Motorway project having a value of over $1.5 billion.

Bahria Town has already submitted an Un-Solicited Proposal (USP) to the Government of Sindh (GoS) for the Blue Line project under public-private partnership mode and tendering for the project is expected in the near future.

Certain foreign financial institutions have also expressed their interest to partially finance the project.

For undertaking the BRT project, Bahria Town has appointed a consortium of leading advisors and consultants, including Enrique Penalosa, Mayor of Bagota, Columbia, Exponent Engineers as local technical consultant, Riaz Ahmad and Company Chartered Accountants and Cornelius, Lane & Mufti, Advocates & Solicitors.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2016.