ADB suggested to set up camp office in Karachi

Provincial Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon has suggested the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to establish a camp office in Karachi to strengthen connectivity and facilitate Pakistan's first Biogas Public Transport Project [BRT Red Line].

According to the details, the proposal was presented by the provincial minister in a meeting held at his residence with the high-level delegation of the bank.

The delegation was headed by Senior Urban Transport Specialist Lloyd Wright, while other members of the delegation included Senior Operations Manager Lisa Jain, Senior Project Officer Shaukat Shafi, Project Coordinator Tahir Sheikh and Consultant Sadiq Aftab.

Secretary Transport Abdul Haleem Sheikh, MD Sindh Mass Transit Authority Zubair Chana, GM Infrastructure Trans Karachi Pir Sajjad and others were also present in the meeting.

Progress of the ongoing work on the BRT Red Line project from Model Colony to Numaish Chowrangi was reviewed and the problems in the project were also discussed in the meeting. A detailed review was also conducted on the work on the bus depot and biogas plant.

While talking to the delegation, Sharjeel said that Sindh government takes 100 per cent ownership of BRT Red Line project.

The provincial minister informed the delegation that for the BRT Red Line project, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has handed over the land to Trans Karachi for the construction of a bus depot on the land of Aladin Park, while the land has also been allotted for the construction of biogas plant in Bhains Colony area. The KMC will soon hand over this land to Trans Karachi, he said.

He said that the Sindh government wants to complete the BRT Red Line project within the stipulated time.

Sharjeel said that by setting up the ADB camp office, day-to-day affairs of the project can be resolved amicably and the speed of work on the project can be accelerated.

Asian Development Bank Senior Urban Specialist Lloyd Wright, identified obstacles in the project, particularly the installations of K-Electric.

He said that the ADB will continue to provide all possible technical support and cooperation to the Sindh government and its transport department.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 1^st, 2023.