CDGK’s CNG Bus Project stalls

KARACHI: The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) is facing difficulties in launching its CNG bus project, Daily Times learnt on Saturday.

According to CDGK sources, the Sindh government handed over the documents of possession of 9 defunct depots of the Karachi Transport Corporation (KTC) to the CDGK in September 2006 but physical possession is not possible as the depots are being used by the law enforcement agencies (LEAs).

The KTC was disbanded in 1997 and its employees were relieved with golden handshakes for which the government received a loan of Rs 1,263 million from the World Bank.The CDGK Mass Transit Cell (MTC) has invited investors for the proposed scheme, which will introduce 500 CNG buses on 40 green routes of the city.

However, the basic infrastructure facilities for the scheme are yet to be finalized, with the biggest concern being the acquirement of the necessary land for bus terminals. The MTC has also announced the establishment of a project implementation and monitoring unit for this project.

After devolution of power and emergence of district governments, transport departments, including the District Road Transport Authority (DRTA), Traffic Engineering Bureau (TEB) of the defunct Karachi Development Authority (KDA) and the Karachi Public Transport Society (KPTS), which is responsible for the operation of radio cabs and Metro air-conditioned coaches, all came under the CDGK's control.

In a meeting held at the Sindh governor house on August 22, 2005, a decision regarding the handover to the CDGK was taken and the district coordination officer wrote a letter to the ministry of labour, transport, industry and commerce in this regard on June 21, 2006. The Sindh government transferred the possession rights of 9 KTC depots, one terminal and one office, situated on the third floor of Civic Centre to the CDGK.

The depots include the Landhi, Korangi, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Malir, Mehran (Model Colony, Malir), North Karachi, Surjani Town, Orangi Town and Model (SITE) depots. According to the source, a meeting between CDGK officials and the Planning Commission of Pakistan (PCP) was held in Islamabad last week, where the CDGK raised the issue of possession of the KTC depots by LEAs.

The depots in Korangi, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Malir and Mehran are being used by the Pakistan Rangers, while the Orangi Town depot is being used by the Karachi Police, which has established the Peerabad Police Station and a traffic section in the depot.The CDGK approached the Sindh chief secretary for assistance in the matter but he advised them to approach Federal Home Advisor Rehman Malik, as he would be able to pass their request on to Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza.

Under the terms of transfer of the KTC property, the CDGK will be required to pay the Rs 1,263 million-loan back to the World Bank. However, it has still not been decided who will pay the interest of Rs 400 million on the loan.

Although the CDGK is yet to take physical possession of the property, the source added that on June 15, the Sindh Finance Department wrote to CDGK, reminding them to pay the first installment of the loan or face the deduction of funds at the source

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Such projects are always have to be shed by the local governments as they can't do any thing against the wagon and truck mafia in both Lahore and Karachi............... Ironic Indeed.

CDGK to Start Work on Malir Expressway Next Month

KARACHI: The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) will start building bunds or dams along the banks of the Malir River for the Malir Expressway that will ease heavy downtown traffic.

The expressway has been approved and funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which completed the initial study that was started on March 14, 2008. The project would have a timeframe of 24 months from the launch next month. The project is part of the ADB-funded Karachi Mega City Sustainable Development Programme (KMCSDP).

KMCSDP project officer Roshan Ali Sheikh told Daily Times that the expressway is being built to relieve the burden on Shahra-e-Faisal, provide direct access to Korangi Industrial area, the Export Processing Zone, DHA, Clifton and Karachi Port Trust for traffic from the National Highway, Pakistan Steel Mills, Port Qasim and southern inter-connection roads. The expressway would link up with 8,000 other roads as well.

The construction of the bunds on the banks of the Malir River would start from Baloch Colony through Shaheed-e-Millat Expressway, transferring along the existing left and right banks of the river and terminating at the National Highway at Malir Bridge.KMCSDP deputy project coordinator G Mohiuddin Asim told Daily Times that the study was carried out by Techno Consultant International (TCI), which would be shortly starting on a comprehensive survey of the banks to explore the most feasible alignment so that the least number of people have to move.

They are also going to look at the removal of land encroachments, land acquisitions, bridges and flyovers. The survey would also deal with matters such as the determination of land ownership around the expressway to decide whether land acquisition or resettlement would be required. The TCI would undertake an economic and financial analysis to include the possibilities of private sector involvement in the project, added Asim.

The expressway would connect Shah Faisal Colony and its adjoining areas with the city centre and southern parts. It would help reduce the volume on Shahra-e-Faisal, reduce distance, travel time and fuel cost as well.

Karachi Provincial Government Will Start the Bus Service

KARACHI: Transport Minister Akhtar Hussain Jadoon criticised the performance of the CDGK transport department and said that his department would add public buses to Sindh with 500 in the first go.

Addressing a press conference at his office Thursday evening, he said that the Sindh government is holding talks with foreign companies. He lambasted the CDGK for what he said were its faulty policies. In the past it had introduced 70 ‘Green Buses’, which “vanished” from Karachi’s roads within a few months. He said that now the CDGK is claiming to introduce 4,000 more CNG buses in Karachi.

He questioned the performance of the CDGK.Jadoon said that the CDGK was interfering in the affairs of the provincial transport department. He said that the federal government provided funds to the transport department via the Sindh government and that now the provincial transport department will use this money itself.

He regretted that the CDGK was not allowing the newly posted EDO Transport to take charge, despite the transfer of the previous EDO Transport. The previous EDO is presently on a foreign visit on government expense. He claimed that Rs 9.36 billion belonging to the department had been spent on such foreign visits and that the government will order a probe into this waste of precious state funds.

Jadoon harshly criticized the performance of traffic police and accused them of taking bribes and extortion from transporters. Fake vehicle fitness certificates were being issued on the basis of bribery and extortion. Some transporters, in connivance with corrupt elements in the traffic police and CDGK, had occupied bus terminals and other properties of the transport department that will be vacated at all costs.

He said that on the special instructions of PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, the provincial government will foot the expenses of converting 70,000 two-stroke rickshaws to four-stroke rickshaws. CNG engines will be provided to public transport buses running on diesel as well.

The provincial transport department wants to provide facilities to commuters, but certain elements create hurdles in its way. He said that his ministry is contacting the Sindh chief minister and higher leadership of the PPP to take action against these elements.

Mass Transit System to be Developed in Country: Salman

NEW DELHI (June 27 2008): Salman Faruqui, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission said on Thursday that federal and provincial governments will develop mass transit system in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.

Talking to newsmen here after visiting Delhi Metro Rail, he said Pakistan will learn from the system and Pakistani engineers will build the systems with the help of latest technology available in the world. He said that population of these cities has increased manifold and these transit systems have become utmost necessity to facilitate the general public.

Salman Faruqui said there are good points to learn here as this system is also earning money from the advertisements and public services provided on the stations.Syed Mustafa Kamal, Nazim City Government Karachi said on the occasion that population of Karachi has increased to 18 million and mass transit system will be developed to cope with the travelling needs of the people. We will benefit from the experiences of this system, he added.

Salman Faruqui and his delegation travelled on the system to see themselves its utility. Earlier, the Chief of Metro Rail briefed the delegation about the functioning of this system and its future plans.

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

115 Varan Buses to Ply Five City Routes

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Transport Authority (RTA) has given permission to Varan Tours to ply 115 buses on five city routes. The buses will be on roads soon, the RTA sources told Daily Times on Tuesday. According to the sources, the five routes are B-3, B-5, B-6, B-8 and B-11.

They said the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had also issued clearance certificates to Varan Tours and buses would be on routes within a week to serve the general public. However, they said, the Varan Tour had yet to fulfil some formalities. The sources said that B-3 buses would ply from Dhoke Syedan to Karachi Company, B-5 from Adiala Jail to Faisal Masjid, B-6 from Tarnol to Humrahi Bus Stand, B-8 from Railway Station to Taxila and B-11 from Railway Station to Golra Sharif.

They said the Punjab government was reconsidering fare schedule and the RTA would be responsible for checking fare violations. The fare list would be affixed at a prominent place in the buses to check overcharging. They said the RTA approved the Varan Tours’ tender and rejected Raja Muhammad Bashir (RMB) Tours’ recommendations, as the RMB could not meet the standard devised by the RTA.

Tariq Rahim, the RTA secretary, said initially Varan buses would ply on three routes including B-3, B-5, and B-6. He said work was in progress on the remaining two routes, which would also be allotted to Varan Tour soon. He said the RTA had done its job and Varan Tours had yet to submit bank statement and other legal documentation before taking off the service.

Elevated Expressway Project Set to Take Off in Months

* Expressway from The Mall to Faizabad will have six lanes

* PC-II forwarded to Punjab govt

* Construction will be done in three phases

RAWALPINDI: Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) is set to take off Rs 5.508 billion project to build Elevated Expressway from The Mall to Faizabad in the next few months.RDA officials told Daily Times on Monday that the authority had submitted PC-II of the project to the Punjab Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Department a few days ago.

They said Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) would forward the PC-II to the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) for approval since its cost had exceeded Rs 200 million. Having got the project approved, the RDA would conduct topographic survey and design the Elevated Expressway within two or three months since it had completed homework for it, they said.

They said the project aimed to ease traffic flow on Murree Road which had been growing fast as the number of registered vehicles in Rawalpindi and Islamabad had touched the figure of 600,000 and 100,000 vehicles used Murree Road on daily basis. The officials said a recent study had showed that the expressway would save 60,000 vehicles, carrying about 200,000 commuters usually, from risks of accidents.

According to the plan, the Elevated Expressway will run above Murree Road from The Mall to Faizabad. It will go to Pakistan Secretariat via Faizabad Interchange, Zero Point Interchange, Aabpara and Constitution Avenue. The expressway will have six lanes and interchanges for it will be constructed at Marir Chowk, Chandani Chowk, 6th Road and Shamsabad.

After its completion, motorists will be able to cover around 25 km distance in less than 15 minutes.A stretch from The Mall to Marir Chowk would be built in the first phase, from Marir Chowk to Chandani Chowk in the second and from Chandani Chowk to Faizabad in the third, said the officials.

Construction of the expressway from Marir Chowk to Chandani Chowk would take 36 months expectedly while the remaining work would be completed in 46 months, they said.

Political Pressure Stalls CNG Bus Service Launch

ISLAMABAD: The launch of CNG bus service in town has hit snags. The project was expected to take off in the middle of last month but this couldn’t happen reportedly because of intense pressure by certain quarters of the current political dispensation on the CDA bosses.

The CDA Board, the highest decision-making body at the authority, had many meetings in the recent past but the project didn’t come under discussion.An official said that the CDA’s Project Management Office (PMO) had fulfilled the project’s all legal formalities and was anxiously awaiting the green light to it.

He said that the CNG bus service was one of many vital projects, which had been put on ice since the new government’s formation. He acknowledged that any more delays in the service’s launch would add to the misery of twin city residents already suffering from limited transport facilities.Under the plan, Midway Consortium is to initially put 50 CNG-run buses on the city roads, with the number gradually swelling to reach 300.

The CDA will facilitate the service’s launch and its subsequent operations.The authority has already allotted a plot measuring 21 acres in I-11 to Midway Consortium for establishing a bus terminal for the new service. The terminal will have a CNG station, a hotel, passengers’ facilitation centre and other necessary facilities. He said that a board of directors of the joint venture, consisting of the CDA and Midway Consortium representatives, would oversee the bus service. He said that the board would decide fare for these CNG buses.

The official said that other inter-city and intra-city transport companies would also be allowed to use the bus terminal on payment. He said that the board would decide the fee in this respect. He agreed that Islamabad and Rawalpindi currently had no proper bus service. He said that private vans, wagons, minibuses and coaches plying 16 routes of the two cities were unable to cater to the needs of commuters travelling between Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

The official said that private companies and transporters had put on the twin city roads around 1,800 coaches, vans and wagons on major routes but they were too little in number compared with the passengers load.

Rawalpindi Ring Road Project Pulled Out of Cold Storage

Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has pulled the much-awaited Ring Road project out of cold storage to ease fast growing traffic congestion and provide faster road access to outskirts of the city.

Sources said RDA has submitted recently prepared revised blue print for the Ring Road project to the newly installed provincial government which is expected to give a green signal for early initiation of the project in the next couple of weeks.After final approval from the provincial government the first out of three phases of the project from Mall Road to Faizabad would be completed in three years from the date of its initiation, the sources said.

“The Shahbaz-led provincial government is highly interested in development of Rawalpindi that is why PML-N elected members are consistently engaged with the civic bodies to ensure early start of various uplift projects including the Ring Road project in the city,” an RDA official said.According to the proposed plan, the road project costing around Rs2.5 billion would start from Rawat and terminate at Haji Camp on Peshawar Road and would connect the neighbourhoods of Adiala, Chakri and Chauntra besides providing a separate route for traffic from Peshawar to Lahore.

The revised layout plan of the project would have 14 interchanges at the interval of 1.5 to 2 kilometres, but there would be controlled access to this road as hand-pushed carts, rickshaws and some other types of vehicles would not be allowed to ply on the road.A Malaysian company had already completed the aerial survey of the project in 2004 while alignment of the first phase of the project has been prepared and submitted by RDA.

The idea of the Ring Road was first presented in a Guided Development Plan prepared by RDA long ago and the previous district government took various measures to initiate this project on built, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.RDA spokesman Nauman Tariq said spadework on the Ring Road project was under way at a faster pace and completion of this project would help reduce the traffic problems especially on the main roads of the city.

“The RDA director general has also issued directives to complete required basic work on various other projects including Leh Expressway to ensure their early initiation,” he said.Commuters who travel to areas including Adiala and Chakri have to pass through the downtown that caused severe traffic congestion in the inner arteries of the cities.

The road along the outer boundary would greatly help lessen traffic load in inner parts of the city.Numbers of housing societies are yet to initiate their construction work in the outskirts of the city and construction of the Ring Road may provide these societies an easy and fast access thus boosting estate business in these areas.

RDA Director General Makeen Shahbaz told ‘The News’ that the revised summary of three-phased Ring Road project has been submitted to the provincial government and the work on the project would be started soon after its final approval.“We are highly committed to solving the traffic problem and the Ring Road would provide an alternative route to most of the vehicular traffic currently using inner roads of the city,” he said.

Makeen Shahbaz said various uplift projects would be initiated in the coming months that would certainly give a facelift to the city that is facing different kinds of problems.

Sindh CM Reiterates His Stance on Karachi Mass Transit System

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah announced the Karachi Mass Transit project (KMTP), Benazir Bhutto Complex, a restoration of the power supply and construction of 100,000 houses in Karachi. “The PPP’s agenda has something special for Karachi and all the schemes I have mentioned here will prove our sincerity and love for this city that is a city for all Pakistanis,” he said.

Pakistani student refuses US prize in protest

This news is indeed a Spirit for all Proud Pakistanis ...........

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistani student Samad Khurram refused to accept an award of academic excellence from United States Ambassador Anne Patterson on Wednesday, in protest against the US bombing in Mohmand Agency last week and its support of President Pervez Musharraf, who he said was an unconstitutional president and had destroyed Pakistan's judicial institution.
Patterson, who was due to present the award during a ceremony at the National Art Gallery, said she regretted the attacks, which were "a terrible misunderstanding".

Khurram returned peacefully and did not talk to reporters. The academic excellence award was being given to him for his admission to Harvard, a world distinction in thinking skills, a regional distinction in chemistry and 7 A grades in A level.

In her speech during the ceremony at the National Art Gallery, Patterson underscored the need for strengthening people-to-people ties between Pakistan and the US.

"There is a myth that American universities are hesitant to accept students from Pakistan," she said while addressing graduates who have received private scholarships to study abroad. "All together, 5,400 students from Pakistan studied at US colleges and universities last year." agencies

Rs2.4bn Light Rail Project Being Revived: CM

KARACHI, June 17: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said that the existing $800million ADB-funded mega city project will be redesigned and improved with the inclusion of mass transit schemes such as a light rail, costing Rs2.4 billion, to provide a solution to traffic congestion in the city for the next few decades.

This was one of the salient features of the budget 2008-09, said the chief minister while addressing the post-budget press conference on the seventh floor of the New Sindh Secretariat on Tuesday.Accompanied by Information Minister Shazia Marri and Chief Secretary Fazal-ur-Rehman, he said the government had accorded high priority to Karachi as far as the infrastructure and strengthening of institutions was concerned.

The city was a major economic growth engine not only for Sindh but also for the whole country, he observed.He recalled that the first special development package of Rs121 billion for Karachi was presented by the Bhutto government in 1996 and said that the scant resources available at present were kept in view while preparing the budget to implement the philosophy of Benazir Bhutto and accomplish her mission.Yet in addition to the mass transit programme, a package of Rs2 billion was prepared for various priority schemes for Karachi, he said, adding that this included Rs200-million allocation made for the Lyari Expressway Resettlement Project.

Mr Shah said the government accorded high priority to measures against environmental degradation in Karachi as well as the sea. He said urgent actions would be taken by undertaking quick investments on the Greater Karachi Sewerage plan (S-III). For this, he said, the government would provide one billion rupees and request the federal government for a matching allocation.

He said the government with the support of the Asian Development Bank was going to embark upon a Sindh Cities Development Programme. Since urban centres beyond Karachi in the past remained ignored, development of all major cities was kept in view in the budget with top priority accorded to the development of Larkana — the city of the late Benazir Bhutto. The federal government had allocated Rs5 billion and the Sindh government had presented a Rs2billion development package for the uplift works in Larkana.

Rs11.3bn Set Aside for Railways

RAWALPINDI, June 17: The federal government has made an allocation of Rs11.3 billion to improve the services of Pakistan Railways during the next financial year, official sources told Dawn.

New projects include procurement and manufacturing of 75 diesel locomotives; 150 passenger coaches, construction of railway line and container terminal at Gwadar to provide up- country linkages and modern signalling between Lodhran-Khanewal to Shahdra, sources said.

Furthermore, work on track rehabilitation of railway network, procurement of 69 diesel locomotives; procurement and manufacture of 625 passenger coaches; procurement of 2300 bogie high capacity wagons; rehabilitation of 450 passenger coaches; re-commissioning of 55 stabled diesel locomotives; doubling of track on Lodhran- Raiwind sections; and repair of damages to railways assets during the riots in December 2007 would continue during the fiscal year 2008-09.

Sources said that as a major step under the National Trade Corridor (NTC) initiative, Pakistan Railways would be transformed into a corporate entity making profitable business through its core activities.

Railways Business Plan was being prepared and a professional Chief Executive Officer (CEO) would be appointed to run the Railways.

Seven fast freight trains have already been introduced from Karachi to Lahore and Faisalabad and back, while the other important initiatives include finalisation of track access policy for private sector and outsourcing of container transportation.


During the outgoing fiscal year, Rs11.6 billion were spent on the improvement of infrastructure and procurement of essential material for locomotives, coaches, bogie wagons and track rehabilitation of the railway network. Work on track rehabilitation, doubling of track from Khanewal to Raiwind, procurement of 144 diesel locomotives, 600 passenger coaches, strengthening and rehabilitation of 159 weak bridges and 2300 high capacity wagons continued with further acceleration.

To develop indigenisation a pilot project for manufacture of five diesel locomotives initiated. Work on conversion of meter gauge into broad gauge on Mirpurkhas to Khokhrapar section, feasibility studies for laying new tracks on Havelian to Khunjerab, high-speed track between Rawalpindi and Lahore completed and work on Shahdra-Faisalabad and Shahdara-Lalamusa sections continued.

Funds Allocation For Lahore Mass Transit System in Punjab Budget 2008-09

The government has increased the budget of the special programmes sector by 23.3 percent. It has allocated Rs 41 billion under the head in the ADP 2008-09 against a revised allocation of Rs 33.25 billion in 2007-08.

The sector consists of district/TMA development programmes and special infrastructure. The government has allocated Rs 12 billion to TMA development and Rs 29 for special infrastructure.

Special infrastructure consists of three major projects including the Lahore Ring Road (LRR), Sialkot-Lahore Motorway and Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS).

In LRR, the government will construct interchanges at Saggian, GT Road and Canal Crossing and Rs 19.93 billion will be spent on the project with ongoing and new schemes. On the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway, Rs 1.92 billion will be spent.

In LRMTS, the government will remove utilities services by LESCO, WASA, PTCL, NTC and SNGPL in 2008-09. Around Rs 6.13 billion will be spent on new and ongoing schemes.

Government's Decision to Exempt Import Duty on CNG Buses Hailed

KARACHI (June 16 2008): The announcement to exempt import duty on CNG buses in Budget 2008-09 has brightened the hope of commuters to travel on environment friendly buses, shortly.



The decision appeared to be a breath freshener for the commuters, who are still compelled to travel by the smoke-emitting buses having their health vulnerable to the hazardous impacts of anti-environment means of transportation.

Talking to Business Recorder on Saturday Malik Zaheer-ul-Islam, Executive District Officer (EDO), Mass Transit said that due to increase in the prices of petrol and diesel in the international market, transport sector was under tremendous pressure to maintain the service. However, old diesel buses, plying on the roads in the country without proper maintenance, are badly damaging the environment in almost every city especially in the metropolis, where people are being affected by contaminated air, which is the root cause of several diseases, he observed.

In order to address the fuel price issues and environmental degradation, the import of CNG buses needs to be encouraged.

Commenting on it, he said that the decision was also aimed to encourage the private sector to take part and commence the project successfully.



He said that the decision would positively affect on the expenditures of CNG bus service and hoped that it would noticeably reduce, which enable commuters to travel in the environment friendly transport service at affordable fare-rates.

Malik said that Karachiities would be entertained by CNG buses in first phase and added that the extension of CNG bus service would be based on result of its success.

He said that the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) is striving to commence the project, soon. For the purpose, Request for Proposals (RfPs) would again get published in the newspapers.

The Sindh government and CDGK are jointly working on the project, while the Federal government has also shown keen interest and will thoroughly watch the whole process of the project, he concluded.

7.5m ADB loan for Lahore Mass Transit - Daily Dawn

RAWALPINDI, June 12: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to provide $7.5 million loan to Pakistan for technical assistance in the Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (RMTS), it was officially learnt here on Thursday.

The loan will help the Punjab Planning and Development Board to prepare a structured design for the project aimed at improving the urban rapid mass transport network in Lahore.The $7.5 million technical assistance includes a foreign exchange component of $6 million.

The government sought the ADB assistance to develop a mass transit system for Lahore as part of the bank’s growing engagement in the country’s urban infrastructure and services sector

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Details are avaialble at the following link
http://www.adb.org/Documents/RRPs/PAK/40573-PAK-RRP.pdf

Lahore Rapid Mass Transit Project Advisor to cost $7.5 million

FAISALABAD (June 12 2008): The cost of Preparing the Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System Project, to finance the recruitment of transaction advisor, is estimated at $7.5 million equivalent, including foreign exchange component of $6.0 million and local currency costs of $1.5 million equivalent.

According to Punjab Planning & Development Board (P&D Board) sources, an urban rapid mass transit system would likely impact Lahore and its large population of poor residents in a number of positive ways. It would allow the city to function effectively, even when congestion is severe, and enable people to commute more easily to work.

The additional capacity provided would allow the dynamic city centre to thrive economically, and over time help to fundamentally shift the structure of the city, and guide and support future development in a more balanced, sustainable manner. Other road users would benefit from reduced congestion and pollution.

The government would benefit from policy options not previously available that accelerate an understanding of the need to manage the urban transport system as an integrated whole, sources said.The first phase of Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System Project will provide key intervention for long-term partnership between Asian Development Bank and Pakistan to develop Lahore's transport sector. It supports recruitment of a transaction advisor to help formulate, structure, and take to the market a public-private partnership for the first priority line of a proposed rapid mass transit system (RMTS) in Lahore.

Lahore is the capital of Punjab province and the second largest city in Pakistan. Its population, just under 9 million, is growing at a rate of about 3.0 percent per year. Despite a number of initiatives over the years, such as introducing and improving fleets of buses, traffic gridlock and congestion, are now constraining growth, curtailing investment, and reducing the city's competitiveness.

Based on feasibility studies and other analysis, the Lahore RMTS has strong potential to provide an attractive and efficient option for public transportation, an alternative to private vehicles, and a cleaner technology than the existing bus and other transport technologies. In sum, the proposed RMTS will help reduce constraints on growth, investment, and city competitiveness currently imposed by the state of Lahore's transport system.

The Government has requested a loan of SDR 3,794,000 ($6,000,000 equivalent) from ADB's Special Funds resources to finance 80 percent of the total TA costs. The loan will have a term of 32 years, including a grace period of 8 years, an interest rate of 1.0 percent per annum during the grace period and 1.5 percent per annum thereafter, and such terms and conditions as set forth in the draft loan document.The government will provide the remaining $1,500,000 equivalent, or 20 percent of the total TA cost, to cover local currency costs.

As most of these funds will be provided in kind for program support in the form of workshops, surveys, office space, and related local support, the availability of counterpart financing should not be an issue. The government has been advised that approval of the TA loan does not commit ADB to financing any ensuing project.

The government will re-lend the loan proceeds to the PPG on terms and conditions satisfactory to ADB.Planning & Development Board sources said that prior to consideration of ADB project financing, engagement of a transaction advisor is required to formulate financial structuring, undertake detailed due diligence, and package the Lahore RMTS to attract private capital and management.

The transaction advisor, in close consultation with ADB and the government, will help prepare and launch a PPP transaction for the green line. ADB is willing, in principle, to partly finance the public-sector-financed portion of the Project under the multi-tranche financing facility modality.Sources said that the transaction advisory work would be carried out in three phases: preparation, implementation, and negotiation.

During the preparation phase, the transaction advisor will carry out technical and legal due diligence, design the detailed structure and terms of the transaction, market the transaction with potential investors, and develop pre-qualification and bidding documents and the necessary contracts. During implementation, the transaction advisor will assist the government in obtaining any approvals and permits required, pre-qualifying potential investors, carrying out the bidding process, evaluating proposals, awarding the contract, and holding negotiations with lenders.

During the negotiation, the transaction advisor will support the Government and winning bidder reach financial closure. The transaction preparatory work will include technical, legal, regulatory, financial, and safeguards due diligence in support of the proposed transaction. The transaction advisor will lead efforts to market the transaction, including tasks such as (i) preparation of initial marketing document, an information memorandum, and presentations; (ii) preparation of a list of investors that have the qualifications and experience to be the project counterpart; and (iii) consultations with potential investors and lenders to share information about the Lahore RMTS.

The transaction advisor will also advise on progress made in preparing the transaction; and review feedback on the design of the transaction. International road shows may be required.The transaction advisor will assist the government in obtaining or issuing the necessary permits or approvals needed for implementing the transaction for the Project. These might include approval to (i) create and fund a subsidy account, (ii) issue a government guarantee, and (iii) launch pre-qualification and bidding process.

The transaction advisor will assist the government in (i) issuing the request for pre-qualification, responding to questions from interested parties, evaluating the expressions of interest, and selecting a short list of firms; (ii) issuing the request for proposals and responding to questions from bidders; and (iii) assessing the legal compliance of the proposals, evaluating the quality of the technical proposals and competitiveness of the financial proposals, and making an award decision.

Lahore: City Master Plan 2021 in the Offing

LAHORE - The Punjab govt is likely to take up Integrated Master Plan-2021 in June to cope with the growing traffic, unplanned urbanisation and unchecked commercialisation in the City.The master plan was started during PML-N government in 1998 with the personal interest of PML-N president and the then chief minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif.

National Engineering Services of Pakistan (NESPAK) has already prepared the plan while the district council Lahore had approved it. The project could not be executed due to ouster of PML-N government in 1999.Sources revealed that the PML-Q Punjab president and former chief minister Punjab Ch Pervaiz Elahi took up the plan but ordered for a new study to rationalise it.

Since then a number of studies had been carried out with no results, the sources added.The sources further disclosed the Punjab government would set up a committee to firm up strategy for the execution of plan. The committee will also prepare an action plan to incorporate Ring Road and rapid mass transit projects.

They added that the committee would comprise of City Nazim Amer Mehmood and all heads of TEPA, LDA, CDGL, TMAs, WASA, LESCO and the traffic police.In order to meet future traffic needs, the committee will be assigned to conduct a new study on Gulberg Main Boulevard, which could also include re-engineering of the road. Under the study proposals will be taken up regarding construction of flyovers for connecting Ferozepur Road to Motorway.

Flyovers could be constructed at Kalma Chowk, Y-Junction Barkat Market, Bhekewal Mor, Scheme Mor and Yateem Khana Chowk.A city government official said the CDGL had already set up a committee to give suggestions to rationalise commercialisation after studying the land use and density of commercial buildings in various areas of the city.

He said the purpose of the study was to formulate a strategy to streamline commercial activities and stop mushrooming multi-story buildings in the city.According to a study by the TEPA in 2007, the total estimated traffic on Canal Road (between Allama Iqbal Road and The Mall) was 205,241 vehicles on both sides, whereas the actual capacity of the road was 48,000 vehicles. The study further showed that the traffic volume would reach 123,117 vehicles in 2010 and 142,726 vehicles in 2015 on the same road.

The roads with messy traffic included Canal Road, Ferozepur Road, Wahdat Road, Jail Road, The Mall, MB Garden Town near Barkat Market, Shahra-e-Jamia Punjab, Shabbir Usmani Road, Maulana Shaukat Ali Road and Multan Road. A addition lane to Canal Road, Wahdat Road, Khayaban-e-Jamia Punjab and Maulana Shaukat Ali Road will make the traffic smooth on Multan Road and Ferozepur Road till 2010.

The additional lanes will also become useless in 2015 in case the government failed to operate green and orange lines of Mass Transit System in 2012 and 2017 respectively.The study said that lane addition on Canal Road and improvement of associated links would delay the traffic crisis till year 2015.

It also said Rapid Mass Transit lines along Ferozepur Road and Multan Road in 2012 and 2017 could provide desired service levels. The study had estimated that traffic growth rate in the city was 4 per cent per year from 2006 and it would continue till 2010. However, it would reduce to 3 per cent from 2010 to 2015. The rate would further decrease to 2 per cent from 2025 to 2030.

It may be recalled that the district government failed to devise a mechanism for the implementation of the approved Lahore Master Plan in 2004.A bill of the master plan was tabled in the district assembly where it was formally approved.After the approval, the authorities had to present it to the provincial local government and rural development department authorities in line with Section 27 of the revised Local Government Ordinance.

Four district officers (for land control, area planning, planning and development and planning and policies) and six deputy district officers and assistant deputy district officers were to implement the master plan. Officials said that due to the city government's lack of action, all nine towns also failed to devise the structural mechanism for implementing their master plans.Courtesy:

The Nation, 30/5/2008

Karachi to Have 80 Overhead Pedestrian Bridges in Pakistan

Nazim Karachi, Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that traffic flow in the city has become smooth because of construction of flyovers, underpasses, roads and U-turns.

He said that speedy traffic has been causing difficulties and problems for pedestrian s crossing the roads. He said City Government has done a complete survey on this count and are constructing overhead bridges for pedestrian s at 80 locations.

He was speaking on the occasion of inauguration of Yusuf Bhoy Waziri Overhead Bridge near Bohri Jamaat Khan at Shaheed-e-Millat Road. MNA Rasheed Godel, Nazim Gulshan Town Wasey Jalil, Naib Nazim Shoaib Akhtar and a large number of area residents were present on the occasion.

Mustafa Kamal said that because of rising cost of iron and steel, each bridge is costing Rs 10 million, but city government is determined to complete the project to facilitate the citizens. He referred to complaints being received that men and women moving in and out of Jamaat Khana had been facing problems in road crossing and said that keeping this in view, the construction of bridge here was decided on priority basis.

He pointed out that steel bridges are fabricated by Steel Mill only and time is required for the number of bridges needed by city government. However Steel Mill has promised to fabricate and supply three bridges in a month and, therefore, it can be expected that three pedestrian bridges will be installed every month. He said until steel bridges are installed, zebra crossings will be painted at selected places where traffic and community police helps people in road crossing.

Mustafa Kamal said that places at major roads, near educational institutioins, religious buildings and places have been selected for pedestrian bridges.

However, he said, 21 bridges will be installed at signal-free corridor-II while eight bridges have been installed at signal-free corridor-I and planning was in hand for installation of four more bridges.
He said from whereever reports of accidents were received or wherever demand was made by citizens, city government decided to construct bridge there. In this regard he named Sharea Faisal, University Road, Rashid Minhas Road, Shershah Suri road, National Highway, M.A. Jinnah road, Nishtar road, Nawab Siddiq Ali Khan road, Mujahid Ali Brelvi road, S.M. Taufiq road, Sir Shah Suleman road, Korangi road, I.I. Chundrigar road and other major roads.

Plans Incorporated For Linking Karachi Airport with City through Karachi Circular Railway

Plans are afoot for linking Karachi airport with the city through Karachi Circular Railway. The plan has been incorporated in the Karachi Circular Railway project, which is now being revived under Karachi Urban Transport Corporation (KUTC).

Expression of interest (EoI) has been invited for environmental impact assessment study for revival of Karachi Circular Railway project. The terms of reference for special assistance for the project formulation (SAPROF) study has been signed, study of which would be completed by end of the year.

Revalidation of Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) report has been completed and executive summary of the final report has been furnished by the consultants - Scott Wilson Railways of UK and Umar Munshi Associates, Karachi. In a meeting held on May 29 at the Prime Minister Secretariat, it was decided that PC-I of the project to be furnished immediately and project would be sponsored by the Ministry of Railways.

The Karachi Urban Transport Corporation (KUTC) has on its board of directors senior officials of Pakistan Railways, government Of Sindh and City District Government Karachi (CDGK). It may be mentioned here that the KCR was opened for traffic in two phases in 1964 and 1970.The KCR originates from Drigh Road station on main line and, after crossing Sharea Faisal short of Karachi airport, it passes through populated areas of Gulistan-e-Johar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Site, Baldia, Lyari, Kharadar, Mithadar and finally touches Karachi City Station.

It has 16 stations, 22 level crossings in its 29.32-kilometre route length.The KCR remained functional for almost 15 years, but gradually, it lost charm due to lack of investment in infrastructure and rolling stock, resulting in increase in travel time, non-punctuality etc. This led to gradual reduction in number of trains and eventually was closed for traffic in January 2000.

At a meeting, chaired by the Prime Minister on December 6, 2004, it was, inter alia, decided that Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) be revived as modern commuter system for the citizens of Karachi and Karachi Urban Transport Corporation (KUTC) be set up for the implementation and operation of the KCR with Pakistan Railways, government of Sindh and City District Government Karachi (CDGK) as stake holders.

The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry had commissioned a study on revival of Karachi Circular Railway as modern commuter system under the aegis of Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro). The Jetro report has recommended dualisation of KCR loop (29.32 kilometere) and provision of two dedicated tracks along mainline.

The report also recommended that the major cities around the world have dedicated railways for airport that connect their airports with the city centres. Therefore, the KCR should also be linked to the airport so as to provide facility to commuters for travelling to and from various city centres to the airport.

The proposed rail link with terminal station at airport with route length of six kilometres, including 1,870-metre elevated, 830-metre underground and 3,260-metre surface track. The railway station will be provided in the vicinity of present car parking area.

The link to Karachi airport will facilitate the passengers to commute from various centres of the city in shortest possible time, say a passenger will be able to reach from and to Karachi Airport from Liaquatabad in about 25 minutes.

Three trains per hour will be operating to Karachi Airport and the track will have the capacity to increase the number of trains, depending on the increase of passengers, the cost of rail link, including infrastructure, rolling stock etc will be 156 million dollars.

Pakistani Based Company in China to make CNG Buses in Karachi

A Pakistani company established in China has shown interest to manufacture CNG buses in Karachi with an investment of $5 million.

A 3-member delegation of Commerce and Sourcing House (CASH) and China’s King Long United Automobile Industry comprising president CASH, Jamshedullah, project manager King Long’s, Andrew Chen and manager Chang Hua held meeting with Sindh Transport Minister, Akhtar Hussain Jadoon Friday.

They informed about their plan for manufacturing CNG buses having capacity to carry 45 seat and 30 standing passengers and discussed plan to ply these buses on six-month experimental basis in Karachi and interior of Sindh. Commerce and Sourcing House will provide the investment of $5 million, while King Long United Automobiles Industry will provide technology.

The delegation informed that on six-month experimental buses, two CNG buses would be plied in Karachi and interior of Sindh in the year 2009. These buses would be manufactured keeping the weather conditions of Karachi and interior of Sindh in view and could run through earth, sand and even 3-feet of water and would have a 10 year life span.

CM Wants Environmental Friendly Karachi

KARACHI, June 5: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed the relevant authorities to take measures to do away with the inadequacies of environmental laws on a priority basis and to make these laws more specific to all sectors that contribute to environmental degradation.

Referring to the dilapidated condition of vehicles in the public transport sector, he said that those vehicles were the major sources of air pollution, particularly in city areas, but could not be scrapped at once since there were no other means for public transport and ultimately the people would have to suffer further.

He stressed the need for the promotion of a mass transit system in Karachi and Hyderabad and other cities and asked for expediting the induction of CNG Buses and Rickshaws in the city.

Malik Zaheerul Islam, director-general of the Karachi Mass Transit Cell, said that efforts were on to achieve some meaningful breakthrough in the public vehicular transport system, but there was also a need for the development of an alternative, sustainable and well-integrated transport strategy as well for a city like Karachi where 40 persons compete every day for one bus seat, against 12 in Mumbai and eight in Bangkok.

He also stressed the need for checking the quality of diesel used in the city public and service transports, increase in the CNG pressures at the fuel stations, and ensuring of a well-protected and adequate system of vehicle inspection and testing.

Pakistani Taxi Driver Earns Praise and Reward for Returning Over 9kg of Gold and 40000 Dollars - Who Says Pakistani's are Corrupt ?????

It's indeed a stunning news and information for all those who says that Pakistanis are corrupt and can be purchased by a dollar. This news really made me to publish it on my blog though its not releant to my blog title...

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DUBAI Honesty has earned Pakistani taxi driver Rameen Khan praise from all quarters as well as more money in rewards than he had ever hoped for.

In March this year, a Chinese passenger left a bag containing 9.5kg of gold and $40,000 in Khan's taxi. Khan promptly returned the booty to the shocked passenger who did not even recall the kind of taxi he had hired, let alone, details of the number plate. Since then, Khan has been lauded for his honesty and dedication.

Recently, His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, presented Khan with Dh50,000 for his honesty. Earlier, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) had given him a certificate and an unspecified amount. Khan, who earns Dh3,000 a month by driving a taxi, has received Dh70,000 in total as rewards.

Pakistan Consul-General in Dubai Abdul Hameed also honoured the driver and thanked him on behalf of the nation. "It is with a great sense of pride that I congratulate you on behalf of the government of Pakistan and as the representative of the Pakistani community in the UAE," he told Khan during a function held in his honour. The consul-general also announced that Khan's name would be nominated to the Pakistan government for outstanding Pakistani achievers' award next year.

He also ordered Khan to be immediately made a member of the Overseas Pakistani Foundation (OPF) through which he would be entitled to land on a priority basis.

"Not for a second did I think about keeping the money for myself," he explains. "In fact, when I saw the unlocked bag full of gold and money in the car boot, I thought: 'what kind of person has left this behind'," said Khan who has been driving the taxi for two years but has been in the UAE for over 10 years.

His dreams are as simple as he is. "I will continue my job as a taxi driver, and use the reward money to build a house in Pakistan and get my four daughters married," he said.

Karachi’s Public Transport Deciding to Go ‘Private’

KARACHI: In a growing trend, transporters, with their vehicles and business, are leaving Karachi for other more lucrative parts of Pakistan. So far, 8,500 vehicles have moved from the city since 2002. The traffic police, vehicle inspectors, rioters and increasing fuel prices in the city make it impossible for them to sustain their business here, learnt Daily Times.

According to some of the transporters, almost eight vehicles are shifted from Karachi to other cities daily after being converted into goods carrying vehicles. There has been no addition to the public transport, minibuses or coaches, in the city since 2002.They added that former Sindh Transport Minister Adil Siddiqui, who took serious notice of this issue, had directed the Sindh secretary transport to take effective measures to prevent the reduction in public transport vehicles and their conversion into goods carriers.

District Road Transport Authority Secretary Malik Saeed and the local excise and taxation department are issuing no objection certificates (NOC) to owners of public transport vehicles for Rs 20,000 for the conversion of the vehicle, alleged transporters.Transporters told Daily Times that they are the first victims of any public protest and the traffic police is also constantly targeting them for bribes and undue challans.

By converting public transport vehicles into goods carrying vehicles, the owners have secured their vehicles. They do not have to face trouble on roads and can safely earn their living, they claimed.When asked why they give the police a chance to catch them, they replied that people climb to the roofs of the buses on their own accord because of the serious shortage of public transport.

Karachi needs a fleet big enough to ensure that workers get home and to work on time.The Sindh minister for transport had previously told Daily Times that the transporters had been violating the traffic rules and regulations. However, he also stated that almost 90 percent of the dumpers and lifters in the city were on the roads without a route permit.

There are road accidents every day because of the shabby condition of the buses, minibuses and coaches. Only about 15 percent of them have proper seats, railings for standing passengers and doors. Most don’t have fitness certificates.