Sindh govt allocates budget for public transport infrastructure

Rs3.15b reserved for nine ongoing development projects

KARACHI: The Sindh government has earmarked Rs5.2 billion to improve public transport infrastructure in its 2019-2020 budget. The reserved budget will be allocated for the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the Yellow Line Projects to be built with the support of international financial institutions.

Out of the total allocation, Rs3.15 billion have been reserved for the nine ongoing developmental projects, while Rs2.05 billion have been set aside for eight new schemes.

In addition, Rs690 million have been reserved as the initial development fund for the Redline BRTS which would be completed through the financial assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The overall cost of the project is estimated to be Rs74.68 billion, out of which the ADB will provide Rs28.3 billion in the form of a loan, while Rs6.76 billion will come from the Green Climate Fund reserved by the French Development Agency (AFD).The Sindh government will spend Rs12 billion on the project.

Similarly, the provincial government has also kept initial funds for the Yellow Line BRTS project. The project will be constructed through the financial assistance of the World Bank, while the Sindh government will contribute a share of Rs5.25 billion.

The overall cost of the Yellow Line BRTS project is estimated at 61.43 billion, of which the World Bank will spend Rs534.7 million, while the Sindh government has reserved Rs275 million for the purpose in its budget proposal for 2019-20.

The government has also earmarked Rs370 million as the initial fund for the construction of the inter-city bus terminal at the National Highway, which is expected to incur an overall cost of Rs1.5 billion.

Similarly, Rs500 million has been reserved as the initial fund for the Inter-District Peoples Bus Service project. The project is expected to incur a total cost of Rs2 billion and would serve as a mass transit system for the biggest cities of Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpur Khas and Shaheed Benazirabad.

Moreover, Rs25 million has been earmarked to construct the office buildings of the district regional transport authorities in Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Umarkot, Tharparkar, Shaheed Benazirabad, Naushahro Feroze, Khairpur, Sukkur, Ghotki, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Larkana and Dadu.

Likewise, Rs25 million have been allocated for the automation of the public transport system managed by provincial and regional transport authorities, while Rs78.9 and Rs80 million have been apportioned for the construction of bus terminals in Sukkur and Larkana and bus stops in Shaheed Benazirabad, respectively. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 15^th, 2019.