Rapid Mass Transit System in Islamabad-Rawalpindi: Rs 70m to be Allocated to Feasibility Study

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) will allocate Rs 70 million in budget 2008-09 to the conduct of a feasibility study of Rapid Mass Transit System (RMTS) between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, an official told Daily Times on Thursday.

He said the CDA board approved the project in a meeting presided over by authority’s Chairman Kamran Lashari on Wednesday. All board members and senior officials of the civic body attended the meeting. The CDA Traffic-Engineering Directorate and representatives of the firms hired by the civic body gave a final presentation on the project to the board members, he said, adding, Rejlers and National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) will conduct the feasibility study.

The official said the firms would start the study on July 25 and complete it in eight months. The study will be based on underground, on ground and overhead travelling facilities between the twin cities, he said. He said the firms would collect and review the planning and transportation data and also study the present and future transport requirements of both the cities, he added.

The official said the firms would also review current travel patterns and operation of available pubic transport system for the development of RMTS system. Currently, private transport is major means of mobility and 1,600 minibuses and vans are plying 16 routes within and between the two cities, he said. The official said there was no organised transport system and standard of minibuses and vans’ service was far below any acceptable standard.

He said nothing significant had been added to the transport infrastructure in the last decade. The official said the CDA chairman had directed the Traffic Engineering Directorate to complete the study within the stipulated time. He said RMTS was imperative for the twin cities due to current growing population and urban development. fazal sher