Permission sought for bus terminal at IIA

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi district administration has asked the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to allow construction of a bus terminal at Islamabad International Airport.

The Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anwarul Haq has sought a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the CAA for construction of a bus terminal at Islamabad International Airport (IIA).

The administration also seeks temporary access of the air-conditioned buses running between Rawat and IIA in the airport’s premises.

During the meeting of the District Transport Authority (DTA), the Transport Secretary Mehr Ghulam Abbas said that the air-conditioned bus service between Rawat and IIA had been started.

However, he added that the buses were not allowed to enter the airport’s premises owing to which the passengers faced extreme difficulties.

After the meeting, DC wrote a letter to the CAA Secretary to issue a NOC for the construction of a bus terminal for the air-conditioned bus service between the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Haq also sought temporary permission from CAA for buses to enter the premises of IIA.

He stated that the ban on entry of the buses in the airport’s premises was creating problems for the passengers as they had to walk long distances to reach IIA.

People working at IIA and passengers face difficulties in finding a decent commute. Taxis charge Rs1,200 in day and Rs2,500 at night for one-way ride.

The Regional Transport Authority had launched new bus services on two different routes one from Rawat to IIA and the second from Rawat to Taxila in July.

The service officers 10 air-conditioned coasters plying on these two routes. The first route commences from Rawat and passes through the Soan bus terminal, Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench, Fauji Foundation, district courts and Kutchery Chowk and then to IIA via Peshawar Road.

The second route starts from Rawat to District Courts, Kuchery Chowk and ends at Taxila.

Ever since the airport became operational two years ago, no public transport system was in place to connect the airport to the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The resultant vacuum has allowed transporters, particularly taxi drivers, to fleece residents who want to travel to and from the new airport.

RTA Secretary Mehar Ghulam Abbas said the project was meant mitigate the troubles faced by the commuters on these routes who were being fleeced by private transporters due to the absence of a public transport service. Private transporters charge as much as Rs1,000 to Rs2,500 per passenger for a one-way commute between Rawalpindi city and IIA.

In the first, phase, the Diamond Transport Service would bring 10 buses on the road to carry passengers from Rawat to IIA. Meanwhile, a conglomerate of three transport groups will ply 15 buses to haul the passengers from Rawat to Taxila.

The authorities have suggested keeping fares for the service around Rs180 from Rawat to IIA and Rs130 from Rawat to Taxila. However, it would be finalised in a meeting between RTA and related transport company next week.

The district officials said that initiation of bus service on a new route from Adyala Road to IIA was also under consideration.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 18^th, 2020.