Two injured as truck collides with BRT overhead bridge in Peshawar

Interim CM launches inquiry after incident

PESHAWAR: At least two people were injured when a truck ran into a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) under-construction overhead pedestrian bridge in Peshawar on Sunday.

The Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) said the overhead bridge collapsed after a truck carrying construction material for the BRT project collided with it on the provincial capital's GT road. Consequently, the truck driver and conductor were injured.

In its preliminary report, the authority claimed the truck driver had forgotten to pull down the hydraulic trolley which hit the shutter of the pedestrian bridge.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

Shortly after the incident, interim Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Justice (retd) Dost Mohammad Khan ordered the formation of a committee comprising an officer of grade-21 and two grade-20 officers to investigate the incident. He directed authorities to impose penalties on those found guilty.

The BRT project in K-P's capital continues to see obstacles. Earlier this month, the much-trumpeted project was further delayed until November or December.



The new deadlines were revealed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Finance Minister Abdur Rauf Khan in a press briefing held at the civil secretariat. When questioned over the cost escalation of the Peshawar BRT, Khan dodged the question saying the ‘project was very complicated”.

The K-P government started the project in October last year with the former chief minister Pervez Khattak claiming that the project would be completed within six months.

The first deadline set for the completion was April 20 which was extended to May 20. The then Project Director BRT and Director General of Peshawar Development Authority Israrul Haq then told media that the project’s civil work would be completed by June 20 which too has been unachievable.