No further forward for Orange Line BRT in sight

Karachi’s bus rapid transit system continues to remain a pipe dream after more than four years of delay

KARACHI: While several developmental projects halted by the lockdown gradually resume pace in the metropolis, the once ambitious Orange Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project still remains a distant reality for the people of Karachi. Inaugurated in 2016 by erstwhile Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, the project which was expected to be completed in four years’ time has since dwelled in the provincial government’s neglect with snail’s-pace progress. Although the government has earmarked Rs843.3 million for the project in the budget for the fiscal year of 2020-2021, yet the non-issuance of funds for the ongoing fiscal year has managed to bring the project to a grinding halt.

Since commencing in 2016 under the supervision of Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA), only 75% of the Orange Line BRT project has been completed so far. Citing reasons for the delay, a Sindh government source who wished to remain anonymous informed The Express Tribune that senior provincial government authorities have made several political hirings in SMTA and the provincial transport department during these four years to support their ulterior motives. “In addition to that, although The Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) was supposed to be responsible for the procurement of buses and the operational management of the project, it had to seek the federal government’s help once the situation fell beyond its capacity. So given the incompetence of the department as a whole, the federal government has accepted the SMTA’s official request to intervene and undertake the said responsibilities in order for the project to be completed,” the source revealed. As per latest agreements, while the Sindh government will bear all the project expenses, the federal government now will procure 25 buses and handle the megaproject’s operations for a period of three years. Following which, the centre will hand the buses and operational affairs back to the provincial government.

However, despite the Sindh government’s latest responsibilities being reduced to only laying down the corridor for the bus system, there still seems to be no progress happening in that regard. A transport department officer privy to the project speaking to the Express Tribune on conditions of anonymity, cited various reasons for the project’s delay. According to him, work on Orange Line BRT is halted since 22 March; when the provincial government imposed the coronavirus induced lockdown in the city. “Ironically, the development work on the project could not be resumed despite the ease in lockdown. The non-payment of arrears of the contractors is the reason behind the recent suspension of the project, in which the Sindh Finance Department is creating impediments. The arrears could not be cleared due to the non-payment of funds from the department, and thus, work on the project could not be resumed. It is feared that the project has been hit with a delay which will last for the next couple of months,” the source asserted. However, Transport Secretary Ghulam Abbas Detho was unavailable for comment when approached for confirmation on the situation, by The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2020.