Sharjeel Memon meets with ADB, AFD to discuss Karachi BRT project

Minister assures delegation that the BRT project will be completed in 24 months

KARACHI:

Sindh's Minister for Information and Transport Sharjeel Memon on Monday held a meeting with delegations from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the French Development Agency (AFD) to discuss the development of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line in Karachi.

The delegation included ADB Senior Urban Development Specialist Lloyd Wright, Urban Development and Water Division (CWUW) in-charge Jia Hyung, Senior Project Officer ADB Omar Ali Shah, AFD's David Margonstern, Secretary of Transport Abdul Haleem Sheikh, MD of Sindh Mass Transit Authority Altaf Sario, and others.

The delegation held a detailed discussion on issues surrounding the BRT Red Line project and stipulated a deadline for its completion.

Memon agreed to hold weekly virtual meetings to provide updates on the development of the transit project. On behalf of the Sindh government, the provincial minister also assured the delegation of all possible assistance in the completion of the project.

The minister projected that the BRT project would be completed in 24 months and therefore, the process of purchasing buses for the project should be expedited

Read BRT projects to be completed on war footing: Memon

“My entire team and contractors will work day and night on the project,” the provincial minister said, adding that the mission of the Sindh government is to solve the problem of public transport in Karachi.

“Contractors have been given a one-month deadline to complete the Orange Line project,” he added.

The transport minister stated that the government was eager for the success of the project so that the model may be replicated in major cities of the province.

Lloyd Wright added that the current BRT initiative is unique as it is reliant on bio-gas and, therefore, eco-friendly.

However, the delegation added that there were issues in procuring eight acres of land for the construction of two depots of the project as well as the transfer of 32 acres of land for the construction of the biogas plant.

Memon added that the transfer of land for the BRT will be expedited, “I will personally look into the matter of transfer of land for the biogas plant in Buffalo Colony.”