Impasse over funds mars 6th Road metro station repair

The Sixth Road Metro Bus Station, which was destroyed during the violence that took place on May 9, remains out of service despite the passage of more than 100 days, with repair plans stuck at the ‘correspondence’ stage between the Punjab Mass Transit Authority (PMTA) and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA).

One major reason for the delay in repair work is a lack of funds, according to a senior officer of the district administration. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the officer said that the delay was due to lack of funds. The estimate of repair work varies between Rs120 million to Rs140 million, with the caretaker Punjab government unwilling to provide the funds.

The station was destroyed during social unrest in the wake of the arrest of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan. The protesters severely damaged the entire structure of the metro station, including setting parts of it on fire. The station's escalators, elevators, ticketing booths, air-conditioning systems, and automatic doors were damaged and remain out of service.

Metro buses plying between the twin cities do not stop at the Sixth Road station, with passengers walking to the Rahmanabad or Chandni Chowk metro stations to board the bus.

Shamim Bibi, who teaches in Islamabad, commuted to Islamabad using the Sixth Road Metro Bus Station. She said that for the last three months, she had to go to the next station as the metro bus would no longer stop at the Sixth Road station, while urging the caretaker governments – at the Centre and in the province – to take notice of the plight of passengers.

Meanwhile, the RDA and the PMTA remain in deadlock over the repair and maintenance. The PMTA contends that RDA should provide assistance in the maintenance of the metro station and it has written several letters to the RDA regarding the same.

The RDA contends that metro bus facilities were handed over to PMTA and the maintenance and repair work should be PMTA’s responsibility. The PMTA failed to respond to queries as to why repair work was being delayed from their end.

The district official said that RDA engineers had visited the station but it was important to contact the National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) before start of work on the metro station. Nespak engineers can assess the condition of the metro tracks, pillars and other concrete structures after the fire incident, the official said while adding that the relevant institutions would need to work together.

Meanwhile, Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatta visited the affected station recently in which he issued orders for immediate repair. He was accompanied by former lawmaker Hanif Abbasi. However, there has been no apparent action on the commissioner’s instructions.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2023.