Sindh seeks ADB's help to launch Red Line BRT, other projects

ADB to extend support to secondary education projects, roads, strengthening PPP unit

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah discussed different projects and schemes including Karachi Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Public Private Partnership (PPP) Unit, education projects and others in a meeting with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) delegation led by its Director-General (DG) Werner E Leipach, .

The meeting was attended by Planning and Development (P&D) Chairman Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, Education Secretary Qazi Shahid Pervez, Finance Secretary Najam Shah, Works Secretary Sajjad Abbasi, Transport Secretary Akhtar Ghori and PPP Unit Director-General Khalid Shaikh. The ADB delegation members included Country Director Xiaohong Yang, Financial Sector Specialist Sana Masood and Executive Director Shahid Mahooom.



BRT Red Line

The CM said that BRT Red Line was the most important project and he wanted to start it from the next financial year.

The ADB has provided project developmental assistance of $9.7million to improve the Urban Transport System (UTS) in Karachi. Apart from technical and financial support, the ADB supports the implementation of BRT corridors and strengthen institutions and organisations. The ADB has also provided technical assistance to build upon the feasibility studies for priority BRT corridors undertaken by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).



The BRT Red Line corridor is 29.1km long with at grade section of 26.3km, elevated section of 0.8km and underground section of 1.9km.

It will run from Numaish to Khudadad Colony via Sharae Quaideen through Kashmir Road, Peoples Secretariat, New MA Jinnah Road, Jail Chowrangi, Askari Park, Civic Centre, University Road, Safoora Chowk, Malir Cantt Gate No. 6, Tank Chowk and finally ending at Malir Halt. It would have 29 stations and 350,000 people will commute daily. The system will have the capacity to transport  30,000 persons per hour. There would be a fleet of 217 bus and the project would cost Rs562.3m.

Education Improvement Project

The CM and ADB DG also discussed the Sindh Secondary Education Improvement Project worth $165m. The project would support the Sindh school education system and has three components - expanded access to quality secondary education, improved teaching and learning capacity and improved secondary education examination system. It will be a six-year project and will be implemented across Sindh.

The Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) has cleared the project last year and 105 schools have been selected. Its Phase-I would be launched in the next financial year.

Roads' project

The meeting also discussed the Rs41.2 billion 847km-long Sindh Provincial Roads, Phase-II project. Under this project, 19 roads will be reconstructed. These are the 17km Mehran Highway (MHW) of Khairpur from Sui Gas Chowk to Hingorja, 20km Mehran Highway from Pacca Chang to Bhirya stop (N-5), 28km N-5 Qazi Ahmed to Daur (MHW), 58km Dokri to Radhan via Badah with link to Naseerabad (N-5), 80km road from TM Khan to Sujawal via Bulri Shah Karim, 67km road from Hyderabad to Tando Ghulam Ali via Shaikh Bhirkyo with link to Chimbar, 40 km road from Dadloi to Adilpur via Cheechro with link to Pano Aqil via Rojo (Ghotki-Pano Aqil area), 60km road from Thul to Bahu Khoso with links to Allahdad (border of Balochistan) and Garhi Bhutto, 38km road from (N-5) to Khairpur-Larkana via Ahmedpur Ripri, 50km road from Shikarpur to Chak Jahankhan, 58km road from Shahdadkot to Ratodero via Mirokhan with link to Kambar, 45km road from Shikarpur to Sukkur-Larkana with link to Bado via Dhakan, 35km road from Mirpur Mathelo to Khanpur with link to Hayat Pitafi to Jarwar (ghotki district), 43km road Matiari to Oderolal via Nasarpur and Odero Lal Station, 36km road from Thatta-Jhimpir via Satayoon Buradabad Road up to Thatta-Hyderabad Road, 40km road from Mithi to Diplo, 60km road from Talhar to Digri via Tando Bago, 37km road from Indus Highway to Rani Kot up to Meeri Kot with bridges, 35km road from Thul to Jacobabad via Sanhri Sarak.

Strengthening PPP Unit

The infrastructure and social service needs of Sindh exceed the available resources. To address the significant infrastructure requirements in an efficient, cost-effective manner and to enable further private participation in delivering infrastructure service, the Sindh government sought ADB's assistance to expand and improve PPPs in Sindh.

The project is estimated at $184.13m where ADB and Sindh government would share the cost.

Under the project, the overall PPP unit would be strengthened, including capacity building of the officers, suggesting necessary amendments in the PPP law and other such reforms would be introduced.