Project of Inducting 5,000 CNG Buses in the Doldrums

Here is the real picture of all the hype about CNG Buses project .............. nothing will be done to improve the lives of common man

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LAHORE (December 24, 2010) : Despite tall claims of Punjab government and allocation of one billion in the annual budget 2010-11, no visible improvement could be made in the transport system as transport companies are showing reluctance in bringing new 5,000 CNG buses in big cities including the provincial metropolis.

As many as 10 investors including seven foreigners had signed Memorandum of Understanding with Punjab government for making investment in the transport sector with the plying of new buses. However, no headway has so far been made in this regard. Lahore Transport Company Chairman Tasneem Ahmad Noorani also failed to bring any improvement despite enjoying huge perks and privileges. He finally resigned from the slot citing personal reasons.

Sources told Business Recorder the investors were showing hesitation, because they think investment unsafe, high fluctuation in fuel prices, role of transport mafia in existing system, dilapidated existing infrastructure and poor commitment on the part of concerned authorities to safeguard the interests of the investors.

Punjab government signed seven memorandums of understanding with the interested investors including one each of Iran, Glasgow, Canadian and four of Turkey to invest in different projects relates to improvement of public transport system in the province. Three local investors were also taken onboard for the purpose. All the MoUs were signed in May this year by Punjab transport and commerce and investment departments on the directions of Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, who expressed satisfaction in briefings from the officials of these companies.

The MoUs signed, were for mutual co-operation for the affairs of public transport and its ancillary issues, exchange of experiences and initiatives in the field of traffic management, Lahore fleet management and BRT system, improvement of public transport system through electronic fare collection system and fleet management, development and provision of management of intelligent transport system, consultancy/exchange of experts' services for Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System.

Foreign investors, who were scheduled to come up with solid suggestion and physical investment capital for the improvement of existing transport system in the province, failed to remain in contact with the Punjab government despite reminder letters sent by the later since signing of MoU, an official requesting anonymity said. Over the lacklustre attitude of investors it seems that MoU ceremonies were merely a photo session to depict high commitment in reducing public miseries.

The foreign investors were reluctant to go ahead for investment after visiting ground realities in the sector, prevailing circumstances and economic feasibility. The same is the story with the local investors who feared that the present transport infrastructure was hijacked by a mafia, and rapid fluctuation in fuel prices prevails, leaving no room for the new entry to regulate economically feasible profit oriented transport business.

On the other hand, the government on the proposal of Lahore Transport Company (LTC) capped subsidy Rs 1.00 million and Rs 1.20 million for diesel and CNG bus respectively to avoid over-invoicing and misuse of subsidy, an official of finance department told this scribe. The finance department allocated Rs 1 billion in annual budget 2010-11 to provide subsidy at the rate of 20 percent on total price per bus.

It may be mentioned here the previous government led by Chaudhary Pervaiz Elahi conceived an idea to introduce economical and environment friendly bus service in the province to replace existing diesel and old buses in phases. The idea was not matured during his tenure and the new PML-N government announced to launch the project on war footings. Mian Shahbaz Sharif announced 25 percent subsidy on each CNG bus and a MoU to bring 300 buses till June, 2009 was signed with five investors but could no be accomplished.

The sources in the transport department said that the government had planned to import 2500 CNG buses for city and 2500 for rest of the province to be used as public transport within two year starting from January, 2009. The government intends to import separately 5,000 CNG buses for free pick and drop of poor students studying in public sector schools during 2009-10 the sources further said.

To materialise this plan Punjab government established Lahore Transport Company and a hired the services of a retired bureaucrat Tasneem Noorani while offering Management Professional scale-I (MP-I) as chairman in April 2009. Earlier Noorani served as chairperson Task Force on Public Transport System from June 2008 to April 2009 but he badly failed to materialize the plan.

A sum of Rs 35 billion were calculated to be provided as subsidy on all the buses. The investors brought only 31 buses till June 2009. Later, over a tussle between the LTC and transport department, the investors who signed MoU to bring buses refused to invest more from pockets to bring CNG buses with the observation that regulatory mechanism of transport in the city was grabbed by a mafia.

Meanwhile, the transport department signed a MoU with a Chinese company for the import of 2000 buses in the province when the local investors refused to import more buses. The MoU was revoked with the observations that it was not in public interest and the government offered 15 percent subsidy on CNG buses instead of 25 already announced by the government.

The chief minister Mian Shabaz Sharif has transferred and posted four secretaries in transport department since April, 2008 which was the highest number of heads transferred in any department. Aga Nadeem was replaced by Maroof Afzal, then Hashim Khan Tareen, Shahzad Cheema and now Muhammad Yousif the sitting incumbent. Later in 2010, it was decided to bring 300 diesel buses for public transport as an interim arrangement for one time to mitigate the miseries of commuters in the city. To bring these buses, chairperson LTC started negotiations with the local and foreign investors to bring these buses because the project of CNG buses may be further delayed.

Private Investors invited to Run Trains

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways under its Open Track Access Policy (OTAP) is allowing private parties to use its track for running of oil, freight and passenger trains. The Infrastructure Project Development Facility (IPDF), the ministry of finance and the ministry of railways arranged an investor conference regarding the running of private trains using Pakistan Railways tracks, said a press release on Wednesday.
The press release informed that Pakistan Railways wants to launch trains through public-private partnerships between Karachi and various upcountry stations like Lahore, Piranghaib (near Multan), Lal Pir, Daudkhail, and etcetera.
The OTAP aims to attract investment from the private sector and use Pakistan Railways’ capacity to allow optimum usage of its infrastructure. Private operators will be allowed to invest and operate trains utilising the existing track and infrastructure for a fixed tenure by paying Pakistan Railways the predetermined track access charges.
The project will facilitate trade and is expected to inject up to Rs3 billion annually in Pakistan Railways. Pakistan Railways Chairman Shahid Hassan Raja stated that the existing state of affairs cannot continue and the only option is to work with the private sector so that Pakistan Railways can become a commercially viable entity.

CM flies to Abu Dhabi to Convince Investors

This means revival of Mubarak Center Project which indeed shall be the identity of lahore ........ Hopes for successful outcomes ............

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LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif will fly to Abu Dhabi today (Saturday) to meet UAE’s Minister of Higher Education Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan. He will call for resumption of Mubarak Group’s investment in Punjab, informed sources told Daily Times on Friday.

The main focus of the chief minister’s visit to Abu Dhabi is to convince Sheikh Nahayan Mubarak to restart the Mubarak Group’s projects in the province, which, the group had abandoned following a change in provincial government and the incumbent chief minister’s policy of shelving the projects launched by his predecessor Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

The sources said the Mubarak Group had shelved its investment plans, including a multi-million dollar Mubarak Centre at Ferozpur Road, a media house and an English language daily newspaper, due to the provincial government’s reluctance to go ahead with plans launched by foreign incumbents and the PML-Q government. The group had abandoned the proposed Mubarak Centre, which would have been one of the biggest information technology centre in the country upon its completion, after digging about 40 feet deep at the multi-acre land, on which it was to be built, at the Ferozpur Road.

During his visit, Shahbaz will try to urge and convince the UAE investors, particularly the Mubarak Group to relaunch their projects in Punjab, which badly needs foreign investment.

Lahore Metro (LRMTS) plans in the Offing

All Eyes towards the successful outcome of these talks .

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AMEInfo reported that the Pakistan government is planning to have the Metro system in Lahore similar to the one in Dubai.

A diplomat at the Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi said that Mr Shahbaz Sharif CM of Punjab province in Pakistan who is leading a top level business delegation to Dubai in December to attract investors to Punjab, will talk to the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority for possible partnership on the Metro project.

The diplomat said that Mr Sharif will meet the RTA official and visit the Dubai Metro as he is interested in having a similar Metro system in Lahore, which is facing acute traffic congestion.

Mr Abdul Mohsin Ebrahim Younus CEO of Strategy and Corporate Governance at the RTA confirmed that the upcoming meeting with the Pakistani delegation and said the RTA was fully capable to provide its expertise to carry out such projects in Pakistan following international practices.

Punjab Chief Minister, Korean Envoy discuss Cooperation

LAHORE (December 07, 2010) : Korean Ambassador in Pakistan Choongjoo Choi met Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday and co-operation in various sectors as well as matters of mutual interests was discussed. Chairman Solid Waste Management Company Khawaja Ahmad Hasaan, Vice Chairman Punjab Investment Board Rizwan Ahmad Khan, Chairman Planning and Development and Secretaries of Transport and Commerce were also present on the occasion, disclosed an official.

Talking to the Korean Ambassador, the Chief Minister said Pakistan and Korea have longstanding trade and economic relations, however, there is need to further strengthen these ties. He said that there are vast opportunities of investment and co-operation between Korea and Punjab in various sectors. "Korean company Daewoo had completed Motorway project in Punjab and Daewoo Bus Service is providing efficient transport facilities to the people of the province.

Another Korean company has expressed interest in Rapid Transit Project (BRTS not LRMTS) in Lahore. The provincial government is taking solid measure for the provision of modern transport facilities to the people. Northern loop of Ring Road has been completed in a highly transparent manner in the provincial metropolis, which is a masterpiece of construction. Now work on southern loop will be initiated," he added.

He said Korea can extend co-operation in the construction of southern loop of Ring Road as well as other projects of infrastructure. He said there is a vast scope of co-operation in livestock, agriculture, real estate, solid waste management and other sectors in Punjab and Korea should consider co-operation in these sectors. "Punjab has also large iron reserves while Korea, which has expertise in steel industry, can extend co-operation in producing steel. Korea has made rapid progress by adopting modern technology and Pakistan can also achieve its development targets by adopting latest technology.

The government is implementing a comprehensive programme for the elimination of poverty and unemployment and revolutionary measures have been taken for this purpose," he added. Korean Ambassador Choongjoo Choi while speaking on the occasion highly appreciated the measures taken by the Chief Minister Punjab for the development of the province.

Grim Situation of Urban Transport in Lahore

Contrary to all the tall claims of the Punjab Government of doing so much for the welfare of the people ................. planning and spending on so much on improving the transport facilities of Lahore .............. see what the daily commuters say in the following survey .......... Ironic

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City to have High Quality Bus Terminals

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that high quality bus terminals will be constructed here at Shahdarah, Ferozpur Road and Thokar Niaz Beg.

Presiding over a high level meeting with regard to construction of bus terminals here Sunday, he said that the construction of ring road had provided ease to the commuters arriving Lahore by their personal vehicles as well as people travelling inside the city from one corner to the other but the problems for the intercity transport were still existed.

He said that on assuming the office of Chief Minister, he had directed to shift the Bus Stand from Badami Bagh and the work was in progress on this project.

He directed that better facilities including cleanliness should be provided to the passengers on priority basis till the shifting of bus stand from Badami Bagh.

He said that the proposed bus terminals should be constructed keeping in view the future demands with modern facilities for the passengers.

He said that new bus terminals should be constructed under public-private partnership having facilities like waiting rooms, best hotels, markets and indoor games.

Chairman P&D Javed Aslam informed that 242 kanal land at Thokar Niaz Beg and 462 kanal land at Ferozepur Road have been identified for construction of bus terminals.

The Chief Minister directed Chairman P&D to visit Shahdarh along with MNA Malik Riaz and identify the land for the proposed bus terminal by Monday.

He said that after completing the process of identification of land for the construction of new bus terminals at Shahdarah, Ferozepur Road and Thokar Niaz Beg, the work on their designs and other matters should be started.

Chinese Train Breaks Record

BEIJING: A Chinese passenger train hit a record speed of 486 kilometres per hour during a test run of a yet-to-be opened link between Beijing and Shanghai

The Xinhua News Agency said it was the fastest speed recorded by an unmodified conventional commercial train. Other types of trains in other countries have travelled faster.

A specially modified French TGV train reached 357.2 mph (574.8 kph) during a 2007 test, while a Japanese magnetically levitated train sped to 361 mph (581 kph) in 2003.

State television footage showed the sleek white train whipping past green farm fields in eastern China. It reached the top speed on a segment of the 824-mile (1,318-kilometre) -long line between Zaozhuang city in Shandong province and Bengbu city in Anhui province, Xinhua said.

The line is due to open in 2012 and will halve the current travel time between the capital Beijing and Shanghai to five hours.
The project costs $32.5 billion and is part of a massive government effort to link many of China’s cities by high-speed rail and reduce overcrowding on heavily used lines.

China already has the world’s longest high-speed rail network, and it plans to cover 8,125 miles (13,000 kilometres) by 2012 and 10,000 miles (16,000 kilometres) by 2020.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/12/03/china.high.speed.train/index.html

Govt Eyes 800 Environment Friendly CNG Buses

ISLAMABAD: Plying of 800 CNG buses in Pakistan is under process that will help to provide improved and environment healthy transportation facilities. Government is committed to adopt clean energy system of transportation in Pakistan.

Federal Minister for Environment Hameedullah Jan Afridi stated this while talking to Ambassador of Argentine Rodolfo J Martine-Saravia who called on him at his office.

Afridi appreciated the cooperation of Argentine in different walks of life and said that mutual cooperation would be further expanded between the two countries. He also mentioned recent advancements in various segments relating to environmental up gradation and expressed his endeavor to make all efforts fruitful for green growth.

Martine-Saravia discussed matters pertaining to mutual interest with the minister and assured that Argentine would extend every possible assistance for environmental betterment efforts.

Afridi said every possibility was being explored to meet crunch in the country besides promoting alternative energy with active participation of public sector

PR Invites South Korean Railways to Operate its Five Trains

LAHORE (November 23, 2010) : Pakistan Railways has invited South Korean Railways to operate its five trains on various routes that are running in deficit, General Manager Operations, Ishfaq Khataq told media here at the PR Headquarters on Monday.

He said South Korean Railway experts have agreed to train Pakistan railway staff and help restore infrastructure of the under-utilised railway network.

Earlier, South Korean railway delegation met with PR officials at the Railways headquarters and discussed various proposals to bring improvement in Pakistan Railways. Khataq said that Pakistan Railways needs at least 200 locomotives as early as possible to resume its normal operations and play its vital role in the economic development of the nation.

South Korea has offered us six locomotives of 3000 horsepower capacity, which is quiet insufficient, he added. After checking their performance we will precede further to upgrade our system GM further added. He said Pakistan railways has offered the South Korean Railways to run its trains on five routes with open access policy. South Korean trains will operate on Lahore-Faisalabad, Lahore-Gujarat-Gujranwala, Lahore-Kasur and Wagha routes. He said that delegation would soon send feasibility report regarding trains operation.

Punjab Government vs Korean Company on Bus Rapid Transit Project

So here comes the first rift between the Punjab Government & the Korean Company ............. this really helps in delaying the projects .......... keep it up

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8,000 CNG buses to be launched soon'

ISLAMABAD (November 20, 2010) : As many as 8,000 environment friendly CNG buses will be launched in major cities of the country under Shaheed Benazir Bhutto CNG Bus Project. An amount of Rs 300 million has been transferred to the State Bank of Pakistan for implementation of this project in Karachi during its initial phase of implementation, an official source informed.

Under the project being executed under Ministry of Environment, 225 buses will be launched for Karachi city to overcome the transport problems faced by the citizens. The bus service will later be introduced in Multan, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Gujranwala and twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the official added. A subsidy of Rs 300,000 will be given to those investors who would buy more than 25 CNG buses.

2,000 CNG Buses to be Imported from Argentina soon

The Environment Protection Department, Punjab (EPD), in a bid to bring down the environmental pollution, especially emissions in the air, has started negotiations with an Argentinean company for providing CNG buses as well as other technologies in near future.

The EPD officials said the company GNC Galileo, Argentina, has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Ministry of Environment. Under this project, 2000 CNG buses for public transport in 10 major cities of the country will be provided while CNG Bus Refueling Stations will also be established to provide the required basic on clean fuels such as CNG.

On Thursday, Sajjad Saleem Hotiana, Secretary EPD Punjab, held a meeting with Rodolfo Martin Saravia, Argentinean Ambassador, regarding the use and promotion of CNG in buses & other vehicles and establishment of Bus Refueling Stations in Punjab. Osvaldo Claudio Del Campo, CEO, GNC Galileo, Syed Ahmed Masood, Managing Director, ACE Energy and other senior officers of the Environment Protection Department, also attended the meeting.

Rodolfo Martin Saravia, Argentinean Ambassador, highlighted the commitment of the Government of Argentina to the Government of Pakistan’s major initiative towards environmental protection, especially air emissions control in the major cities of the Pakistan through promoting Mass Transit for the convenience of public transport operation.

The Secretary EPD, Punjab, informed the delegation that the Punjab Government was very much committed to the use of clean fuels in the transport sector and the Environment Department had always promoted the use of CNG in vehicles to improve the environment. He said induction of 2-stroke engine rickshaws had been banned in the Punjab w.e.f. 01.01.2005 and 4-stroke engine CNG rickshaws have been introduced. The Transport Department is planning to replace old diesel engine buses with the CNG engine and Euro-2 standard engine buses.

Bus Rapid Transit System to be Introduced in Lahore: Korean Firm Agreed

If this project is going to be implemented ........... than certainly Lahore Mass Transit project is over ............ Ironic .......... These people throw the national interest just for the sake of their interest ..........

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So with this

CNG buses Refilling Terminals: Argentinian Company Looking forward to Investing $6 million

ISLAMABAD (November 10, 2010) : An Argentina CNG company as shown interest to invest $6 million for setting up CNG buses refilling terminals in 10 big cities of Pakistan to help government curb the health damaging carbon emission.

At the resident of Ambassador of Argentina Rodolfo J. Martin-Saravia, Chief Executive Officer, Galileo Osvldo C del Campo of CNG Galileo companies gave a brief presentation to State Minister/Chairman Board of Investment (BOI) Saleem Mandviwalla regarding the expertise of the company in installing CNG equipment for refilling cheap fuel in public transport world-wide.

CEO said the cost of Galileo CNG equipment was more than conventional CNG stations set up in Pakistan but their equipment has no match as far as safety and fuel pumping efficiency is concerned. He said that his company was doing successful business world-wide. Their refilling stations were very successful in countries like Korea, Spain and Singapore where there is no use of gas.

He further said Galileo had the capacity and expertise to transport CNG on trolleys from one point to another where gas stations were located. "Our big lorries travel 100km a day in Philippine to transport the gas", he said. Ambassador of Argentina Rodolfo J Martin-Saravia said being ambassador it was his responsibility to work for boosting economic co-operation between two countries. "It is essential that Pakistan must provide level playing field and equal opportunities to local and foreign investors to allure Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)", he said.

He anticipated that industrial growth in Pakistan would gather momentum after completion of the projects like Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, Tarkmanistan-Afganistan-Pakistan-India gas pipeline and Thar Coal Gasification Project. During discussions, Chairman BOI briefed the visiting CEO that economic co-ordination committee (ECC) was the highest forum which authorise the allocation of gas quota to a particular sector. Under the directive of Cabinet Committee, ECC was dealing with the gas management.

He further said due to gas deficit, government had put ban on issuance of new CNG station licences. Balochistan was an exception as the province has a few gas stations. He said the transporting CNG would be a unique technology in Pakistan. He also suggested the CEO to move a summary to Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources for ECC approval. Managing Director of ACE Energy (Pvt) Ltd Syed Ahmed Masood was also present at the occasion. He said investors anticipated that new CNG policy to be announced shortly would remove the bottlenecks for fresh investment in gas sector.

Wake Up Call for Lahore transport Company - Ironic

How long this LTC will take to bring in the bused ........... it now more than two years of this organization working ............ Regrettable

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Train Service started in Makkah & Medina

Hajj becomes easier ........ much needed project in Makkah and Madina

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Steps for 400 Buses soon in Lahore: LTC

I wish we can see these buses on the road in this government tenure.

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November 05, 2010: ARRANGMENTS have been finalised by the Lahore Transport Company for the provision of 400 new buses in the City.

Addressing a meeting, according to a press release, Chairman LTC Tasneem Noorani said a mechanism has been evolved to provide transport related infrastructure in Lahore including a system of enforcement, modern bus depot and terminals, vehicle inspection centres and driving schools.

The moot was held to review the project of new buses in Lahore. Director Premier Transport Company Noor-ud-Din Ahmed, GM Enforcement LTC Fawad Qureshi, GM Finance Adnan Mudassar, Media Advisor Amjad Hussain and Senior Manager Operation Tanweer Siddiqui were also present there.

The chairman said that 400 new bus shelters would be set up in the City. He said these shelters would be lighted up with solar power.

He said that 11 bus shelters have already been set up on Ferozepur Road.

He added that a modern vehicle inspection centre would be set up in Kot Lakhpat, which would ensure fitness of public transport vehicles in the City. Tasneem Noorani said that seven new bus depots would be constructed in the City. During first phase, four bus depots are being constructed at railway stations, general bus stands, Thokar Niaz Baig and Kahna in one year.

He said that the Premier Transport Company would provide 200 new buses. He said that the government would provide operational and upfront subsidy to CNG and diesel buses in Lahore. He said that LTC would ensure frequency of buses on bus stops operating under the auspices of private sector. Premier Bus Company Director Noor-ud-Din Ahmed has said that we will provide standardized and affordable transport to the people.

DHA City to include Mass Transit System

The Corps Commander Karachi Lt Gen Shahid Iqbal has directed the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) to get its under-development DHA City project on Super Highway included in the loop of Mass Transit System (MTS) in order to substantially reduce the traveling time from DHA City to metropolis.

The Corps Commander gave these directions while chairing a special meeting of the DHA Karachi’s Executive Board here at Headquarters Corps 5 held the other day to approve the DHA’s development budget for fiscal year 2010-11.

The Executive Board meeting approved a development strategy for DHA to ensure speedy and substantial infrastructure development of the Defence Authority’s phase-VIII and other ongoing development works in DHA. Early completion of DHA City Karachi project within the stipulated timeline was also an important feature of the envisaged strategy.

Corps Commander at the meeting stressed on the need to revive the Hospital project in DHA Phase-VIII for provision of a top-of-the-line medical facility and subsequently the establishment of a medical College for the welfare and wellbeing of the DHA’s residents and citizens of Karachi.

Director Finance DHA informed the meeting that a record amount of Rs 4.3 billion, including Rs. 2.6 billion for Phase-VIII development has been earmarked in the budget for undertaking multifaceted development works in the Housing Authority.

A sum of Rs 1.25 billion has been separately earmarked for master planning and other development works of DHA City Karachi for this year.

The Board was further informed that recovery of refurbishment charges from the DHA residents was must to ensure speedy and uninterrupted development of DHA Phase-VIII as per the stipulated schedule.

News about Lahore Mass Transit in Hasb-e-Haal: Ironic

Truth about LRMTS discussed in Hasb-e-Haal ......... Ironic

http://www.dunyanews.tv/play_program_video_eng.php?id=13796&pid=3330

‘Affordable Transport facilities needed for Karachi City’

Urban planners and experts stressed on the need for providing respectable and affordable public transport and mass transit facilities to people in Karachi on the pattern of modern cities all across the world.

The experts shared this opinion in a seminar ‘Transport Sector and Land Management in Karachi’, organised by the NGO Shehri-CBE in collaboration with Friedrich Naumann Foundation, here at a local hotel on Friday.

People from different walks of life including policymakers, government functionaries, Mass Transit Cell authorities and public transport representatives attended the seminar to discuss the issues and possible solutions for providing better commuting facilities to the citizens in future.

An impressive presentation was given by Managing Director Karachi Urban Transport Corporation (KUTC), Ijaz Khilji, who told the participants that the 44-kilometers long Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) is expected to be revived by 2014.

“The project will be completed with a cost of 1553 million US dollars, most of which would be provided by the JICA. The project would provide transport facilities to 0.6 million to nearly 2 million people per day,” he informed.

Khilji said that some studies for the revival of KCR are underway while most of them have already been completed with the help of international agencies. “Upon its completion, the project would provide respectable and affordable traveling facilities to people within the city,” he said.

“Around 5500 households would be resettled from 28 localities that are established on railway lands. Every affected family would be provided Rs. 50000 and an 80 yards plot for resettlement. After the completion of the project, KUTC will become a regulatory body like NEPRA and it would have a committee to decide the fares that would be compatible to the existing public transport fares,” he informed.

Karachi Transport Ittehad (KTI) Chairman Irshad Hussain Bukhari mainly discussed the issues faced by transporters in Karachi. “Despite rampant corruption, torture, burning of busses on almost daily basis and killings of drivers’/conductors, transporters are providing affordable transportation facilities to people,” he said.

He acknowledged that there were issues including poor condition of buses and attitude of transport operators. “There is no leasing facility available for the transporters to bring new vehicles on the roads nor is there any facility of providing training to drivers and conductors,” he explained.

Bukhari said that corruption was rampant in traffic police and other departments associated with the transport sector. He suggested for the revival of magistrate system in the transport sector so that drivers who violate traffic laws could be sent to jails for the offences committed by them.

He also called for reopening of the drivers’ training school located at Manghopir so that drivers and conductors could be provided mandatory one-month training before coming onto the roads.

Bukhari also called for provision of loans from commercial banks to transporters so that they could bring CNG busses on roads and also suggested that government should provide them the depots of defunct KTC on rent to resolve parking issues.

EDO Transport of City District Government Karachi (CDGK) Iftikhar Qaimkhani called for an integrated mass transit system in the city. “There are 2.2 million vehicles plying on city roads, of which only 5 per cent were public transport vehicles that cater to the needs of 70 per cent population. Private vehicles especially cars and motorcycles form the major portion of vehicles plying on the roads but they only cater to the transportation needs of 30 per cent people in the city,” he said.

Qaimkhani also discussed the issue of inter-city busses including bus terminals for these vehicles as well CNG buses. “Without having an integrated mass transit system comprising of Bus Rapid Transit, Light Rail Transit and KCR, transportation issues in Karachi cannot be redressed,” he said.

Urban planner and member of Shehri-CBE, Farhan Anwar and General Secretary Shehri-CBE, Amber Alibhai, also spoke on the occasion. The seminar was followed by a question-answer session in which participants raised several questions regarding the present and future transport strategies and issues in the city.

Canadian Company Bombardier Discusses LRMTS with CM Punjab

A delegation of a Canadian company, Bombardier, met Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat here on Wednesday and discussed matters regarding the improvement of transport system, Lahore Mass Rapid Transit System and devastations of flood.

Provincial Minister Mian Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, Chief Secretary Nasir Mehmood Khosa, Chairman Planning & Development Javed Aslam, Secretary Finance Tariq Bajwa and Kh. Ahmad Hassan were also present. Talking to the delegation, the chief minister said that the provision of quality, comfortable and best transport facilities to the people was the top priority of the government and solid steps were being taken for the purpose. He said that Mass Rapid Transit System was planned in 1998 and a lot of work had been carried out on the project. Unfortunately, the project was deferred after the democratic was toppled on October 12, 1999.

He said that the Punjab government was serious about the project and it had discussed the matter with various companies. Unfortunately, Pakistan was facing devastations of the worst kind of flood of its history which had ruined the country’s economy. He said that Metro Train was being run successfully in China, Tehran and Mashhad.

Transportation Division of Bombardier president Mikkelsen said that Lahore was a beautiful city and he had reviewed its transport system.

The delegation included Senior Director Business Division (British) Thomas Townson and Senior Vice President (Asia Pacific - British) David Allen. .

Karachi Transport Master Plan: JICA presents Progress Report to Technical Body

KARACHI (October 07 2010): Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) has completed surveys in 18 towns of Karachi under the first ever 'Transport Master Plan' of the city. About 40,000 residents from 18 towns and six cantonment boards participated in the survey. According to sources, the Japanese team, which has been working on the master plan for the last one year, presented its progress report to the technical committee of Sindh Government on Wednesday.

The report was presented by Minoru Shibuya, Japanese team's head in a meeting of the committee, headed by Managing Director Karachi Mass Transit Cell Malik Zaheer. The meeting was attended by experts and officials of various departments including Finance Department, Planning and Development, Civil Aviation, KPT, Port Qasim, DHA, Military Land Cantonments, Traffic Police, Population Department, Pakistan Railways, and City District Government Karachi (CDGK).

The representatives of the departments hailed the work and progress of the JICA team. The study under 'Transport Improvement Project' would be completed within two years, which would be the first tranport-related master plan of any city of the country.

Sources said the study, would facilitate the preparation of 'Karachi Transport Master Plan 2030'. Besides, it would validate the transport project identified in the Karachi Development Strategic Plan-2020 (the transport section of Karachi Master Plan). It is worth mentioning here that for the last 62 years, no master plan of transportation has ever been prepared for any city of Pakistan and it is for the fist time that a complete planning for at least 20 years is being made for Karachi.

Single Bus Scheme will be Supported: LTC

LAHORE, Sept 29: The Lahore Transport Company (LTC) has decided to recruit 100 transport enforcement inspectors (TEIs) to strengthen the regulative mechanism system for the public service transport at the provincial capital. In a meeting of the LTC’s board of directors, headed by chairman Tasneem Ahmad Noorani, on Wednesday, officials finalised the criteria to recruit TEIs on urban routes. “Candidates holding graduation degree will have to go through written and physical fitness tests. After recruitment, the TEIs are required to complete compulsory training at the police training school,” spokesman for LTC Amjad Husain told Dawn. He said the BoD had approved to introduce a “Single Bus Scheme”, allowing every person having some transport-related experience to start the transport business by purchasing a new bus to get it run on city routes under LTC rules and regulations. He said the purpose to introduce this scheme was to encourage small investors seeking initiation of transport business in a prestigious manner. “The government will award 20 per cent subsidy to all applicants desiring to purchase buses for joining the LTC under this scheme,” he added. Mr Husain said any person seeking entrance in the business under this scheme would have to sign a memorandum of understanding with the LTC. “The BoD has also decided to instruct all private bus operators to get fitness certificates of their buses under the Motor Vehicle Ordinance, he

London Bus of 2012

Wow ........ Amazing design and fuel efficiency ...........

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11336395

Schwarzenegger Rides Bullet Train

alifornia governor Arnold Schwarzenegger took a ride Tuesday on the latest model of Japan’s high-speed bullet train as his US home state looks to modernise its rail system.

The Hollywood action star is on an Asian tour with nearly 100 technology, tourism and entertainment industry leaders, in a trip aimed at boosting the state’s economic links across the Pacific.

At a busy Tokyo Station, the governor boarded the operators’ cabin of the latest Series E5 bullet train prototype — a sleek, metallic green vehicle with a massive 15-metre (50-foot) nose dubbed “arrow-line”.

He took a 60-minute round trip on the train, which has a maximum speed of 320 kilometres per hour, to Tokyo’s northern suburb of Omiya.

“Very quiet and it’s very futuristic,” said the governor. “I’m very impressed with the technology and also with the infrastructure itself.”

Japanese transport minister Seiji Maehara, who took time in the midst of his ruling party elections to welcome him at the platform, later told reporters: “Governor Schwarzenegger seemed very satisfied.”

Japan hopes it will win a contract to help California with its plan to build a high-speed rail system by 2030 expected to carry 90 million passengers a year, centred around a Los Angeles-San Francisco line.

Speaking at a breakfast meeting with the local American chamber of commerce before his “Shinkansen” train ride, the governor said: “Infrastructure, as you all know, is the most important thing when it comes to economic activities.”

“But it has to be a two-way street. We also like to help the Japanese because both of us right now are stagnant when it comes to the economy, and both can help each other,” said the former body-building champ.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Checks Out China's High-Speed Rail

SHANGHAI: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is engaging in a little window-shopping of China's new high-speed train lines while peddling Californian exports and tourism in the world's second-largest economy.

His own state budget $19 billion in the red, Schwarzenegger says he is hoping for some "creative financing" from Asia to help lower costs and get California's proposed high-speed rail lines up and running.

Industry experts say cash-rich China may be best placed to help with funding, and less risk averse than others whose banks are still recovering from the financial crisis. That could prove a key competitive advantage as it goes head-to-head against better established high-speed rivals rail in Asia and Europe.

"That is something very attractive about the Chinese which the Europeans will find very difficult to compete with," said Michael Clausecker, director general of Unife, the Association of the European Rail Industry. "Even in America, finance is a scarce resource. Rail investments need a lot of investment up front."

China has invested huge prestige, and tens of billions of dollars, in its high-speed rail industry — building on mostly European know-how acquired in joint ventures with Siemens AG, Alstom SA and to a lesser extent Japan's "Shinkansen" bullet train operators. It is gearing up to fight for a chunk of what Unife estimates to be a 122 billion euros ($155 billion)-a-year global market for railways.

Schwarzenegger posed for photos Sunday on a high-speed train in Shanghai, after spending Saturday, the first day of his weeklong trade mission of nearly 100 business leaders, hobnobbing in Hangzhou with Jack Ma, founder of Internet trading behemoth Alibaba.com, and other Chinese entrepreneurs.

"Today what I have seen is very, very impressive. We hope China is part of the bidding process, along with other countries around the world, so that we can build high speed rail as inexpensively as possible," he told reporters.

He also announced a plan for Silicon Valley to bid for the 2020 World Expo, which would be California's first time to host the event since 1940.

The governor will also check out high-speed rail in Japan and South Korea — two others among at least seven countries that have officially shown interest in helping develop California's system — assuming the state can find the money.

"There is great potential over there and in Japan and Korea, when it comes to building our high-speed rail and also providing the money for building the high-speed rail," Schwarzenegger told reporters before leaving California.

The fact-finding mission is also aimed at better understanding the technologies on offer.

"He will learn a lot from that," said T.C. Kao, director of the Railway Technology Research Center at National Taiwan University, who has introduced many U.S. delegations to the technology.

"They get the impression, 'We need it.' They feel behind," he said. "You have to experience it to understand."

The U.S. is the world leader in freight railway technology but has almost no high-speed rail expertise. It will have to import the technology for the 13 regional projects that have won $8.5 billion in initial federal funding, with $2.5 billion more to come this year and hundreds of billions needed before lines are up and running.

China already has the world's longest high-speed rail network, about 4,300 miles (6,920 kilometers) of routes, including nearly 1,250 miles (2,000 kilometers) that can run at top speeds of 220 miles per hour (350 kph). It aims to develop 9,900 miles (16,000 kilometers) of such routes by 2020.

All of that construction involves "highly sophisticated work on infrastructure, on rails and design of track structure," says Chris Barkan, director of the Railroad Engineering Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champagne, who recently toured facilities in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

A visit to a mammoth manufacturing plant in the eastern city of Qingdao "absolutely blew me away," he says.

Having already build up a huge capacity for manufacturing trains and the systems to serve them, China is looking for a chance to prove it has the wherewithall to export the most advanced technology.

"China now owns the most advanced high-speed rail technology and winning contracts in the U.S. would surely help it to sell more to other countries," said He Xin, an industry analyst at Donghai Securities in Beijing.

Other industry experts say it is difficult to know just how much China has achieved on its own. Both European and Japanese industry officials have expressed skepticism.

But Chinese officials insist the technology they plan to export is truly their own. They also have hired American lawyers to check for potential intellectual property problems, says T.C. Kao, director of the Railway Technology Research Center at National Taiwan University.

"China is probably pretty sure it can pass the test on IP," says Kao, former vice president of Taiwan's high speed rail company. "China has copied, yes, but it has improved on the technology. Many things have been altered."

Kao and other experts say that as newcomers, the Chinese would face logistical and regulatory challenges in entering a brand new market, compared with companies like Siemens, Alstom SA and Canada's Bombadier Inc. which already have train factories in the U.S.

But China's experience in gradually raising the speeds of its train systems and then adding high-speed rail, sometimes on dual-use tracks, may give it an edge in designing systems suitable for the U.S., which in most areas plans a similar incremental approach.

South Korea's KTX high-speed rail, which is based on France's TGV technology, shares the same advantage, said Kim Seok-gi, director of the international railroad division at South Korea's Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs.

South Korea is "absolutely interested" in California's projects and meanwhile is preparing a bid for a high-speed rail project in Brazil linking Rio de Janiero, Sao Paulo and Campinas, he said.

For Japan, which pioneered high-speed rail in 1964, billions in contracts would be a welcome boost to the faltering economy. But its bullet trains, despite their impeccable record for safety and efficiency, run on dedicated tracks.

California and other states will eventually have to adapt whatever systems they choose to local conditions, and step up training of engineers and other personnel needed to build and run those trains by "orders of magnitude," said Barkan from the European rail industry group.

"We're not going to be able to pick up train technology from elsewhere, drop it down in the United States and expect it to work perfectly," he said. "The question is where is the intellectual talent to build all these systems?"

Korean Firm interested in Bus Rapid Transit System & Mono-Rail Projects for Lahore

Must be a great presentation, but unable to understand when and who is willing to implement it. First there was a similar discussion with Chineese firm Norinco Intl., than comes a Swedish firm Bombardier, and now these Korean Companies ....................... Who is going to materialize the main Lahore Mass Transit Project ............... Nothing's clear ................. Let's keep the hopes

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LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that government is attaching top priority to the provision of modern and affordable transport facilities to the masses and solid measures are being taken for this purpose.

This was stated by him during a meeting with a Korean delegation regarding revamping of public transport system in the provincial metropolis here on Tuesday.

The delegation included representatives of Korea Express Corporation, Doha Consulting Engineers Company Ltd., HANA Financial Group, Green Pakor and other companies. Members Provincial Assembly Mehr Ishtiaq Ahmed, Mian Mohsin Latif, Khawaja Ahmed Hasaan, Secretary Transport, Chairman Lahore Transport Company and other officers concerned were also present on the occasion.
The CM said a comprehensive system had been devised for the improvement of transport system and investment in this sector is being fully encouraged.

He said that Lahore Transport Company had been set up for the revamping of transport system and provision of better transport facilities to the citizens in the provincial metropolis.
He said that a memorandum of understanding will be signed with a Korean company for rail and bus rapid transit projects in the city.

Shahbaz said that measures were being taken for the improvement of public transport system for providing modern and comfortable transport facilities to the masses and all out facilities were being given for investment in transport sector.

He said that the Turkish city of Istanbul and Korea had an excellent transport system and agreement with a Korean company in this regard will be a positive step. He said that a MoU will be signed with the Korean company next month for bus and railway transit system in Lahore which will be given the shape of an agreement.

He said that the Korean company had evolved a project for launching rapid bus service from Shahdarah to Gajju Mata as well as six other routes of the city and the company should also consider plying buses on other routes of the city.

Earlier, Deputy General Manager of Korean Express Corporation, Jae Woong Kim gave a detailed briefing regarding improvement of public transport system in Lahore and said that the company has conducted a survey for the project from Shahdarah to Gajju Mata.
He said that the company has also considering launching of railway service between Lahore-Sheikhupura, Lahore-Kasur and Lahore-Wahga.

Settlement of Land Issue for KCR Victims Delayed

The revival of Karachi Circular Railway is believed to have hit snags again as officials of the Malir Development Authority and of the Pakistan Railways have seemed to be “reluctant” in appearing before the Sindh High Court for an “amicable settlement” of a suit to hand over 300 acres of land to the KCR for the rehabilitation of the affected people, according to the official sources and documents obtained by The News on Sunday.

The availability of the land for the resettlement of the affected people is a condition set by the donor, the Japan International Cooperation Agency, for its financial assistance for the project. The sources said that the PR and the MDA had agreed to withdraw the suit and to settle the land dispute out of the court.

A court order to this effect had been expected to be issued on August 17, 2010, but the officials of the PR and the MDA, who had signed the withdrawal application, were not present in the court and so the matter was adjourned.

Subsequently, an application was moved by the Karachi Urban Transport Corporation, which is running the KCR project, and the case was again fixed for orders on August 24.

However, the officials concerned again failed to turn up at the hearing despite the fact that they had confirmed to the Managing Director of KUTC, Ijaz Hussain Khilji, to be present in the SHC on August 24.

The judge of the SHC dismissed the urgent application due to the non-appearance of the officials. The case will now be taken up by the court only when both the officials consented to their appearance before the SHC, an official familiar with this development told The News on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the KUTC MD had urged the Sindh government to ensure the appearance of the officials in the court.

A team of the Japan International Cooperation Agency visited the city on September 1 and held discussions with the stake-holders of the project.

The donor agency urged the officials concerned to expedite the work and avoid further delays, a participant of the meeting told The News. The KUTC had also held a meeting with the managing director of the Karachi Electric Supply Company on August 31 on the electricity needs of the project. The resettlement plan would be carried out on the pattern of the Lyari Expressway resettlement, which meant that Rs50,000 and a plot of 80 square yards would be given to each affected person, according to the decisions taken at the 5th meeting of the board of directors of the KUTC.

The cost of the project has gone up from over 872 million dollars to over 1.5 billion dollars. The route length of the KCR was stated to be over 43 kilometres.

LTC Fails to Provide Better Transportation

Indeed very right .............. Since the inception of this department ......... Just news and ads ....... that's all ...............

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PUBLIC transport in the provincial metropolis will have to wait further for any addition of buses as funds for providing subsidy on buses have been withheld due to flood relief operations.

Lahore Transport Company has till now failed to bring any significant betterment or contribute to the depleting public transport system in the provincial metropolis and this current predicament has dampened any hopes of improvement in near future.

There are around 700 large size buses operating in Lahore. This fleet is not only insufficient but the buses are old and poorly maintained. Most of the times, these buses are off road for repairs. Recently one of the major players in the city, Niazi Transport Service took more than 50 busses off the road due to unbearable losses due to government’s unfriendly policies towards transport owners.

Only in Lahore, the maximum daily estimated trips of all modes of public transport, legal and illegal, are around 18.668 million trips/day. The current demand is almost 8 million per year in addition to the aforementioned demand which is expected to rise to more than 11 million by the year 2021. The current demand is highest for the public transport constituting 50 per cent of the total demand.

An LTC spokesperson said that the primary reason for the delay in acquisition of busses was not the incompetence of LTC but because the government was having trouble providing the one billion rupees allocated in the budget for the subsidy on procurement of new busses.

Apart from the cosmetic therapy of the Ferozepur Road, LTC has little to its credit as its ‘enforcement staff’ too has not been able to uproot the illegal public transport, which has not only messed up the city traffic flow but these motorcycle rickshaws and vans have also been a consistent pain in the neck for public transport owners.

On the other hand, public transport is being provided by overcrowded, poorly managed and rashly driven mini-buses and vans. There is a need to replace this kind of informal and dangerous transport service with properly organised, safe, efficient and affordable bus transport service.

Due to several reasons, principal among them is the non-existence of a proper mechanism for bus-financing and bus service monitoring. The number of buses has been decreasing over the years and the quality of service provided is also getting poorer day by day. In the past, private sector initiatives for inducting new city buses were dampened due to absence of proper environment and government support in the form of concessions/incentives to the bus operators, sponsors and financiers.

The setting up of LTC was intended as a remedy for this situation and raise comfort level of private sector to come forward and become partners with LTC. however, over the past two years of its establishment, LTC officials who are being paid millions of rupees has not been able to broker a single major deal with any investor.

At the moment, the Bus transport service in Lahore district is planned over 53 routes, which are based on 2006 survey of passengers, published in Punjab Gazette 2006. Out of these 53 routes, only 30 are operational.

The non-operational bus routes are being serviced by non-permitted vans. coasters, wagons, rickshaws and motorcycle rickshaws. The low cost of these informal and poorly maintained service vehicles has literally driven out the bus service from these routes. Despite repeated pleas by the transport owners for the reclaiming of all these routes, the government and LTC have not been able to provide any solution to the issue and have backtracked from disbanding motorcycle rickshaws from the roads.

One of the major reasons behind the non-implementation of this ban is the fact that these illegal passenger service vehicles and their owners require to be adjusted to alternate roads. Although, the government has allocated money for alternate measures for the illegal transport in this year’s budget yet any concrete measure are yet to be taken to utilise this amount.

www.ltc.gop.pk

Korean Firm Brief about Mono-Rail & BRT Projects

All eyes towards its implementation

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Elevated ‘super bus’ solution to Beijing’s traffic woes!

Way to Go China .............. You find the right solution ........... Amazing

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BEIJING: China’s capital Beijing, recently named along with Mexico City as having the worst traffic jams in the world, is looking for solutions. One could be the elevated “super bus”. The bus, due to be tested in the coming months in the western part of the city, travels on rails and straddles two lanes of traffic, allowing cars to drive under its passenger compartment, which holds up to 1,400 people. “We’re going to start laying down test tracks along a sixkilometre stretch towards the end of the year,” Song Youzhou, the chief executive of design firm Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment, told AFP. “From the second half of 2011, we’re planning to test the bus with passengers on board,” he said, noting that after a full year of trial runs, authorities would make a decision on whether to use the bus on a wide scale. Song said Hashi was in talks with three Chinese carmakers to produce the ecofriendly bus, which runs on both electricity and solar power. Authorities hope eventually to install 180 kilometres of “straddle bus” lines including a route to the capital’s international airport, Song told the official Global Times. Song said the “super bus” could ease traffic congestion by up to 30 per cent, as it does not take up actual road space, but special tracks would have to be put down, elevated bus stops built and new traffic signals developed. Only small and mediumsized vehicles will be able to pass under the bus, meaning drivers will have to be extravigilant. An alarm would sound if an oversized vehicle attempted to pass, the report said. Song said the bus had to be tested with car drivers in realtime situations to detect any possible problems. According to government data, Beijing is on track to have five million cars on its roads by year’s end. The four million mark was passed in December. The head of the Beijing Transportation Research Centre, Guo Jifu, warned this week that traffic in the capital could slow to under 15 kilometres an hour on average if further measures were not taken to limit the number of cars. Private cars are currently kept off Beijing’s roads for one day per week depending on licence plate numbers. Beijing’s air is among the most polluted in the world, and the problem is getting worse amid high demand for private vehicles from its increasingly affluent residents. For days, Chinese and foreign media have issued reports explaining how thousands of vehicles were trapped in an epic traffic jam stretching for more than 100 kilometres on a highway leading to Beijing. The bottleneck on the Beijing-Tibet expressway, which began on August 14 due to a spike in traffic by cargo-bearing heavy trucks and was compounded by road maintenance works... seems to have vanished. A team of AFP reporters drove 260 kilometres on Wednesday along the highway out of Beijing, through the northern province of Hebei and into Inner Mongolia – and did not encounter anything but intermittent traffic jams at toll booths. Hundreds of trucks were on the road to Beijing, packed with everything from produce to live goats — but the traffic was moving.—AFP