Work on extension of Metro Bus gains momentum

The project had been divided into four packages for timely completion

ISLAMABAD: The construction work on the Peshawar Mor-New Islamabad Airport section of the Metro Bus project is underway and expected to be completed by November this year, National Highway Authority (NHA) spokesperson Kashif Zaman said on Monday.

The project had been divided into four packages for the timely completion of the project, he said, adding that package-I will connect Peshawar Mor to National University of Science and Technology (NUST) while package-II will extend from NUST to the Grand Trunk road.



Moreover, package-III will connect GT road with the Motorway Interchange and Package-IV will lead to the airport.

He said that the length of the first package is eight kilometers and 55 percent of the civil works have been completed.



As far as the second package is concerned, 30 percent civil works have been completed. However, 19 percent and 72 percent of civil works have been completed on the third and fourth packages. The electro-mechanical works on all the four sections are in the procurement stage, he added.

He said that the total cost of the project would stand at Rs15.09 billion.



The NHA spokesman said that work on the fourth package started in June last year while work on the package-III was initiated in March this year. However, work on the first and second packages started in April 2017.

The project will have nine bus stations including NHA Station, G-10 Station, NUST Station, G-1 Station, G T Road Station, Badana Kalan Station, M-1-M2 Junction Station and Airport Station. The project will have 12 bridges, 26 culverts and 11 underpasses, the spokesperson said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2017.