Metro Bus Project: Pollution, traffic mess a ‘gift’ for residents

Abbasi blames sit-ins, harsh winter for delay in project.

RAWALPINDI: The Metro Bus Service will bring a revolution in the public transport sector of the twin cities and facilitate over 200,000 commuters daily, said the project’s head Hanif Abbasi on Sunday.

The former MNA from Rawalpindi said the ‘international standard’ project is being completed in record time, and in the same breadth said the new deadline for the Peshawar Mor Interchange section of the project is now March 23.

Abbasi said the government was determined to start the bus within the shortest possible time to provide ‘modern’ travelling facilities to residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Explaining details, he said the Metro Bus Authority would install elevators, escalators, security cameras monitors and other equipment at the command and control centre and bus stations. He added that the authority would not only run the bus service but also handle issues such as security and providing ambulances in case of an accident.

CCTV cameras would be installed on the elevated road and main route of the bus service and monitored from the command and control centre, he added.

Abbasi termed the under-construction project, which has caused immense pollution and traffic jams owing to heavy simultaneous construction, a gift of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif for residents of the twin cities. He blamed the sit-ins in the federal capital by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek and the harsh winter for hampering the pace of work.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2015.