BRT Peshawar spadework to start on Oct 19

CM Khattak says buses will be here by April 2018, wants project completed within six months

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has decided to inaugurate the construction and implementation work of the bus rapid transit (BRT) Peshawar on October 19.

Earlier, he was to inaugurate it on October 20, but now he will inaugurate it a day earlier.

The supply of buses for the BRT would be complete towards the end of April 2018, he said.

The CM was presiding over a meeting on the launching of construction and implementation phase of BRT, the level of preparedness for the project, the traffic diversion plan, the upgrading of diversion roads and the possible irritants also came up for discussion during the meeting.

Khattak has directed all the departments concerned to strictly follow the time lines fixed for different work-packages of the BRT project. The quality of work should be ensured without wastage of time. The project should be complete within six months, he added.

The chief minister directed the authorities to remove irritants and obstructions in the BRT project. The officials engaged in the project were given different tasks and warned against any lethargy in the process.

The K-P CM directed to work on emergency basis with focus on quality construction work and without any delay, he added. He directed to upgrade the feeding roads and also start working on the future connectivity and needs and requirements of integrating the whole Peshawar region to BRT.

The bus service should be a single comprehensive and integrated solution to all traffic related issues. He reminded the participants that he had a vision for integrating the whole Peshawar for incoming and outgoing traffic with one solution, he added.

He also directed for additional land acquisition and plan to compensate all, affected by the bus rapid transit project.

Khattak, issuing directives to rehabilitate different roads, said he wanted pedestrian areas upgraded too.

He also directed to issue notices to FWO for the delayed response on the completion of shifting and relocating of utilities. He agreed to the proposal that Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) would establish its own fuel storage.

He asked to contact him if any irritant emerged in the implementation phase of the project. The first batch of the buses would start reaching and operating when the corridor of the project is ready. He directed proper implementation on the decisions and the directives he issued in this regard. However, he asked the concerned quarters to coordinate for the supply of buses in Peshawar under the already decided procurement schedule. He directed to select a proper place at Chamkani for the inaugural ceremony of the project to mark the inauguration of practical work on the project. However, he directed to select eight sites for the inauguration of the project at different areas off the corridor where the Advisor to CM on Transport and other MPAs and elected people would inaugurate separately.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2017.