The story continues for Karachi's Green Line Bus Rapid Transit

With plans to save MA Jinnah Road’s historic trees in place, long-delayed bus rapid transit project finally resumes

KARACHI: Since its inception in 2014, the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme has been hit with several delays, the latest of which are courtesy of the oldest residents of the bus network’s vicinity.

Trees old enough to be considered ancient present along the busway’s track have hindered the project’s progress, convincing authorities to once again rethink the project plan.

In a bid to save the historic trees, the federal government has decided to revise the Green Line BRT’s design, allowing 26 trees near Radio Pakistan on MA Jinnah Road to remain unaffected while agreeing to transplant the remaining 69.

Following the revised project design, the once optimistic intra-city bus project which had been in a fix for the past 2.5 years owing to disputes between the federal and provincial government, has finally recommenced upon consensus between the two authorities.

In the latest developments, the Sindh Infrastructure Development Company Limited (SIDCL), a federally-run entity has sought tenders for laying down Phase II of the Green Line BRT, which spans from Taj Medical Complex to Jama Cloth Market.

“Previously, the busway was to be elevated all the way from Taj Medical Complex to Jama Cloth near Municipal Park, which wouldn’t have affected the trees along the route. But following the government’s order, the track is now being built at grade on land and the SIDCL has tweaked the design to protect some of the trees and has also allocated funds to transplant the rest,” informed a SIDCL official on conditions of anonymity.

SIDCL chief financial officer Bilal Memon, while talking to The Express Tribune, shared that the tender for the Green Line Project’s second phase has been sought.

“Once the tendering process is complete in the following 1.5 months, construction work on Phase II is expected to begin sometime around May,” said Memon. “The phase occupies a 3.5 kilometre area and although there are nine months to the project due date, it can take up to a year to bring it to completion. The traffic management plan is yet to be implemented, which has been causing most of the delay,” he added.

The complication which arises with the traffic management plan is that MA Jinnah Road is one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares; closure of both the tracks simultaneously could cause a gridlock on alternative routes.

In an attempt to alleviate the traffic issue, a decision has been reached to keep traffic operational on the roadside, which would allow for construction on the middle of the road to continue unaffected by traffic.

According to Memon, the revised project design will save all 95 ancient trees present along the busway. “The new design saves us from cutting down 26 trees, the remaining are to be transplanted upon consultation with Haneef Nasir, the former Parks director-general and a member of the Horticulture Society of Pakistan. Further, we also plan to carry out a plantation drive along MA Jinnah Road, which will make sure the developmental project does not harm the urban trees,” he confirmed.

Nasir, meanwhile, said that there are some 95 trees present on the stretch of road going from Taj Medical Complex to Jamia Cloth Market (Municipal Park), which are a century old or less. “These trees include Banyan, Sacred Figs, Indian lilacs, Lignums and others. We have spoken to the SIDCL and recommended March, April, July and August to be the most suitable months for their transplantation,” Nasir told.

Apart from that, he said, an excellent team, along with the right machinery, season, land and supervision were also required. “It is only then that these trees would be able to grow after transplantation,” he explained. “There are also a few Conocarpuses growing along MA Jinnah Road. Those will be chopped down and the plantation of more suitable trees will be carried out around the construction area as an alternative.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2020.