Green Line BRT inches a step closer to completion

Test runs to begin in June, buses expected to start running in August

KARACHI:

After years of back and forth, the city’s first Bus Rapid Transit system, the Green Line BRT, finally appears to be inching past the red light of bureaucratic and operational delays. The project is expected to see significant progress in the coming few days, including the installation of pedestrian bridge escalators at various elevated sections.

The escalator at the Nagan Chowrangi section is slated to open for public in the coming week, while a hundred buses for the Green Line and Orange Line projects, are due for import in June. Following which, both projects are expected to begin operations in August of this year.

According to Sindh Infrastructure Development Company Limited (SIDCL) Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Bilal Memon, a total of 21 stations have been constructed for the Green Line road corridor. “Each station includes stairs and escalators along with pedestrian bridges, which have been constructed to facilitate the commuters. Work on installing control panels in the said escalators is however, currently underway. The escalator installed at Nagan Chowrangi will be made operational this week, and will remain open for 12 hours a day. Following which, gradually all other escalators will also be opened, which will make crossing roads a much safer experience for the people” he informed.

Speaking further, the CFO said that the federal government will import 80 buses for Green Line and 20 for the Orange Line BRT by June, all of which will be new and will run hybrid-diesel technology. Trials of the new buses, he said, will begin in July, while upon successful completion of the testing-phase, they will be made fully operational by August.

It is to be noted however, that the Green Line BRT Project, which extends from Surjani Town to Jama Cloth Market is being constructed under the supervision of the federal government. On the other hand, the Orange Line BRT, which extends from Orangi Town Office to Board Office Chowrangi, is a project of the Sindh government.

Per details, civil work for the Green Line Project’s Phase I in Gurumandir stands completed as of now, while electrical and mechanical work is in its final stages. However, part of Phase I at Numaish Chowrangi is still under construction. The work for overhead road above Numaish Chowrangi was completed a few months ago and it has been opened for traffic. All remaining work in the first phase is expected to be completed in a span of next three months.

Speaking further, Memon informed that the federal government has also started construction work along MA Jinnah Road, which includes Phase-II of the Green Line project, extending from Taj Medical Complex to Jama Cloth. “Since this is one of the city’s oldest and busiest thoroughfares, the project management also has to consider a lot of traffic, heritage and legal concerns which may arise with the construction of the project. Thus this phase of the project will take some time and is expected to be completed by next year,” he told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2021.