Islamabad Bus Project stuck in station

No progress made on the project ever since Mayor Aziz was ousted from civic agency in December

ISLAMABAD: While the capital’s residents were jubilant when the metro bus service, linking neighbouring Rawalpindi, opened its doors in 2015. Another bus project by the civic agency to ease commuting for residents has been pushed onto the backburner for lack of funds and interest.

Last year, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had invited expression of interest (EOI) from private operators for the operation, management, and maintenance of buses for the Islamabad Bus Service (IBS) project.



In response to the advertisement, four private firms had submitted their proposals for running a decent, safe and efficient public transport service for the citizens of the federal capital. These buses were planned to ply on six selected routes identified by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under its sustainable urban transport programme for the capital.

The proposed routes included from Rawat to Faisal Masjid via the Islamabad Expressway; Bara Kahu to Margalla Road via Seventh Avenue; Pir Wadhai Chowk to IJP Metro Station via IJP Road; Nilore to Khanna Bridge via the Islamabad Highway; Tramri Chowk (Lahtrar Road) to Aabpara via Park Road; and Golra Chowk to Chaman Metro Station via the Kashmir Highway.

However, after Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz was ousted from his dual post of the CDA Chairman by the Islamabad High Court in December 2017, no progress has been made on the project.

Officials of the civic body claim a lack of funds for the project as the reason behind any movement on it, pointing to how they recently had to ask the prime minister to approve a grant of around Rs10 billion to complete the third phase of the signal-free corridor being built on the Islamabad Expressway.

The capital is the tenth most populous city in the country with a population of 2.1 million. It is estimated that within Islamabad, there are around 700,000 trips which originate and terminate within the city every day. A further 500,000 daily trips which either travel to or from the city to adjoining urban areas.

This has had a conspicuous effect on the level of congestion in the city which is becoming progressively worse.

The introduction of the metro bus service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad a few years ago, connecting the business zones of the twin cities, had helped mitigate traffic issues to an extent. With the construction of the new airport, the government sought to extend the facility from Peshawar Morr to the new airport.

But the project has run into roadblocks and at the moment is around eight months overdue and unlikely to be completed anytime soon.

When contacted, Aziz told The Express Tribune that the local government was still engaged in the project to provide green transport facility to citizens.

He added that the IMC was still considering a proposal for importing 50 air-conditioned electrical buses and 56 diesel-consuming buses.

Moreover, he said that the IMC was also considering building bus depots, shelters and the requisite infrastructure for a city-wide bus service.

“To run the IBS professionally, the IMC would need to develop the operational framework, management policies and procedure in consultation with the CDA,” the mayor said, adding that land for the intra and intercity bus terminals could be leased.

In the first phase, 20 electric-run and 36 diesel-run buses would be imported. In the second phase 30 electric and 20 diesel buses would be operated. All the buses would be 8.5 to 8-metres-long with seating and standing capacity of 50 passengers per bus.

Asked about the ambitious plan to procure and run electric buses in a country struggling to keep lights on everywhere in the summer months, Aziz conceded that they would have to work on building the electric charging infrastructure for the buses.

However, he said that this could be developed in coordination with the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO).

Reminding that the proposals and plans for the bus service had yet to be finalised, Aziz said that they were considering a host of different plans including the construction of a multi-modal intercity bus terminal (MMIBT).



In fact, Aziz insisted on the need for such a bus terminal in the capital, explaining that it could provide the ultimate solution to the plague of unauthorised bus stations operating in an around Faizabad and other parts of the city.

Apart from trying to secure funds for the project, Aziz said that they would also approach the Finance Ministry and the Federal Board of Revenue to exempt the import from duties. Despite that, Aziz conceded there were a host of challenges and it remains to be seen whether the IMC can execute such a mega project, either with or without the support of the CDA.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2018.