Metro bus project: Inauguration delayed till Jan 31, says minister
Sit-ins blamed for delay, opposition criticises cost escalation
ISLAMABAD:
The government on Wednesday informed the Senate that the first public transport system for the twin cities’ will be inaugurated on January 31, 2015.
Responding to a question of Senator Taj Haider from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Muhammad Baleeghur Rehman said the metro bus project was expected to complete on December 25 but was delayed due to the sit-ins of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek.
He said the project’s contractors demanded six months more for completion of the project but only one month was allowed.
When lawmakers raised concerns about the cost of the project, which was revised, the minister said that “the government was ready to share details of project cost and studies in this regard, but I don’t exactly know the cost.”
However, the reply could not satisfy the senators that led Haider to say that “Rs50 billion was a huge amount, sufficient to purchase a large number of buses to meet the needs of twin cities’ commuters.”
Senator Tahir Mashhadi from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement quoted the example of Iran and said “Iran has second best transport system in the world, regardless of the international sanctions.”
Rehman also confessed that there had always been an issue of public transport in Islamabad, however, the government had started working on three new routes.
The issue came under discussion in response to a question for the Minister of Interior Chaudhry Nisar. In his written reply, Khan told the house, “No public transport is operating in Islamabad. Private transporters ply different routes”. The federal minister informed further that at present, 23 inter-city routes were used in Islamabad and that two new routes were launched in the past six months.”
Meanwhile, Senator Sughra Imam of the PPP raised concerns about increase in rape cases and low conviction rate, particularly in Islamabad. “What steps has the government taken and what is the reason that modern techniques of evidence collection are not being used?” she questioned.
Responding to the concerns, Rehman said “the conviction rate in Islamabad is less than in other cities and we will take steps to further improve it.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2014.
The government on Wednesday informed the Senate that the first public transport system for the twin cities’ will be inaugurated on January 31, 2015.
Responding to a question of Senator Taj Haider from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control Muhammad Baleeghur Rehman said the metro bus project was expected to complete on December 25 but was delayed due to the sit-ins of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek.
He said the project’s contractors demanded six months more for completion of the project but only one month was allowed.
When lawmakers raised concerns about the cost of the project, which was revised, the minister said that “the government was ready to share details of project cost and studies in this regard, but I don’t exactly know the cost.”
However, the reply could not satisfy the senators that led Haider to say that “Rs50 billion was a huge amount, sufficient to purchase a large number of buses to meet the needs of twin cities’ commuters.”
Senator Tahir Mashhadi from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement quoted the example of Iran and said “Iran has second best transport system in the world, regardless of the international sanctions.”
Rehman also confessed that there had always been an issue of public transport in Islamabad, however, the government had started working on three new routes.
The issue came under discussion in response to a question for the Minister of Interior Chaudhry Nisar. In his written reply, Khan told the house, “No public transport is operating in Islamabad. Private transporters ply different routes”. The federal minister informed further that at present, 23 inter-city routes were used in Islamabad and that two new routes were launched in the past six months.”
Meanwhile, Senator Sughra Imam of the PPP raised concerns about increase in rape cases and low conviction rate, particularly in Islamabad. “What steps has the government taken and what is the reason that modern techniques of evidence collection are not being used?” she questioned.
Responding to the concerns, Rehman said “the conviction rate in Islamabad is less than in other cities and we will take steps to further improve it.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2014.