CDGK to Launch Third CNG Bus Route Today

So ...... CDGK is progressing .......... what about Lahore Transport Company ............. Nothing new after plying 25 buses.

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Friday, January 29, 2010By Qadeer TanoliKarachiThe third route of the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) CNG buses, from Orangi Town to Clifton, would be made operational today (Friday), with City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal scheduled to inaugurate the route. Public Transport Management Operation and Regulation District Officer (DO) Muhammad Athar informed The News that the CDGK purchased 25 Hino-made buses at a cost of Rs100 million. He said that 72 up and down bus stops have been constructed on the route, which would start from Orangi Town, and head towards Banaras, Board Office, Nazimabad Chowrangi No. 2, Civic Centre, and University Road.

The buses will then travel to MA Jinnah Road, Preedy Street to Empress Market, Lucky Star to Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre (JPMC) to Korangi Road, Sunset Boulevard, Punjab Chowrangi and end at Clifton Beach.The DO said that a dedicated bus terminal for this route has been established at Gulshan-e-Zia, Orangi Town, which is spread over four acres. He said this terminal has been established at a cost of Rs80 million, where every sort of facility would be made available for the buses, including repair, maintenance and availability of spare parts.Athar said that given the experiences of the past, the city government has introduced some new ideas on this route. He explained that on the two CNG bus routes that are currently operational, the management operation and maintenance of buses was outsourced to a company, while jobs such as dealing with CNG stations and revenue collection was being directly dealt with by the CDGK.

However, Athar said, all sorts of operations have been merged under one package for the third route. He said that the contract of handling all sorts of operations have been awarded to a company named Rahman Coach Service Company, which in turn, would pay the city government Rs450,000 every month. He added that 60 drivers have been deployed on this route. The DO said that the operator has been bound to charge Rs15 from every passenger, the same fare that is being charged on the other two operational routes. He said that an e-ticketing facility would also be available on this route, and passengers could also enjoy the facility of rechargeable ‘smart card’ of different denomination, including Rs50, Rs100, Rs200 and Rs300

Pervaiz Elahi comments on LRMTS - Dawn News

Pervaiz accuses govt of scrapping mass transit plan


Former Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi claimed that the provincial govt has ruined a $2.4bn investment in the city. — File Photo by APP

Sunday, 24 Jan, 2010
LAHORE: Taking first leave from his otherwise high-pitched idiosyncratic politics, former chief minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Saturday briefed the media on his “Mass Transit System for Lahore and how the Shahbaz Sharif government abandoned it, damaging a $2.4 billion investment in the city”. With a detailed presentation on his plan, he said that had the current rulers not jettisoned it, the city traffic could have an altogether different look. The Asian Development Bank and private sector had agreed to put $1 billion each in the project, and the Punjab government $400 million. With such a huge investment on the city traffic system, it could have been revolutionised totally.

Creation of thousands of jobs and cutting hugely on city pollution could have been added advantages. “But the current PML-N government has abandoned it only because it was started by our government, regardless of public welfare,” he said. Detailing the contours of the project, he said it included 97 kilometres of underground and elevated passages. In the first phase, it had to link Hamza Town on Ferozepur Road to Shahdara.

The PML-Q government had planned to complete it before 2011 but the current PML-N government simply lost interest and let the ADB loan expire in June 2009. The project has the capacity to cater to 35,000 passengers every hour, which makes it 350,000 commuters in ten hours. “It is a criminal negligence and we are taking our case to the people of Punjab to assess for themselves who was, or is, serving them better,” he said. Flanked by Chaudhry Zaheeruddin, the opposition leader, he said his party would protest the prevailing situation on the flour of the Punjab Assembly in its current session.

The project was well studied and thought out. The urban reliance on public transport system in Lahore is almost 60 per cent. In Vietnam, where such reliance was only 20 per cent, it rose rapidly with the introduction of Rapid Mass Transit System. In India Rapid Mass Transit System started of in Kolkata and Delhi. The Delhi Metro is now the second largest underground rapid transit system in India. Due to the introduction of Rapid Mass Transit System, the Indian society has witnessed a rapid economic, social and cultural transformation. For the financial year ending March 2008, it reported operating revenues of Rs3 billion ($62.89 million), with a profit of $4.12 million. Lahore, with a population of over 9 million, is the country’s second largest city with a growth rate of four per cent. Its transport system, which has horizontal not vertical growth, is poorly developed and under-maintained. Due to high economic growth during 2002-07, the vehicle ownership growth also accelerated, leading to increased congestion, poor environment and degradation in quality of life.

Diverse traffic mix and a lack of traffic and pedestrian discipline exacerbated the situation. According to an international survey, more than 1.35 million passenger trips take place in Lahore daily. Elahi said the city was suffering an annual loss of $100 million due to the absence of a rapid, efficient, convenient, time and fuel saving mode of transportation. It had been a huge set back to real estate development and environmental pollution control and contributed to the flight of foreign capital and international investments.

“Every concerned-citizen of Lahore must ask the current provincial government what made it dump the project of public welfare for political and personal reasons,” he concluded.

PML-N rejects claim

Senator Pervez Rashid has contradicted the statement of former chief minister Pervaiz Elahi claiming that the present government has suspended the Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System (LRMTS) project.

According to a press release issued by the DGPR, the PML-N senator said that practically the LRMTS project did not exist during Pervaiz Elahi’s regime.

However, Rs550 million were embezzled in the name of preparation of feasibility report and a suspect in this case, who was arrested in Dubai, had been brought back to Pakistan.

Senator Rashid said the Punjab government had already sent this case to NAB a year ago.

He said that the government in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank was going to initiate most modern mass transit project in Lahore.

Circular Railway Project Hits a Snag

KARACHI (January 24 2010): The long-awaited Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project has hit a snag because of the issue of what sources said "re-lending" of around $1.58 billion by the Japanese government. The transfer of the amount to Karachi Urban Transport Corporation (KUTC) through the federal government would face a 17 percent cut, making the project unviable, sources said.They said this procedure of releasing funds would face the drastic cut of 5 percent "risk rate" and almost 12 percent "interest rate", making total deduction of 17 percent.

Interestingly, they said, the corporation had not addressed this issue since the project was going through different studies during the last few years."If the issue of deduction, under different heads, is not resolved timely, the project would face another delay which could ultimately increase its cost," sources said, adding that the government of Japan, which would invest $1.58 billion on revival of KCR to mitigate traffic problems in this metropolis, would issue the funds to government of Pakistan directly.To address the re-lending issue, sources said, a meeting was held on December 18 in Economic Affairs Division (EAD), Islamabad, but it was yet to be resolved by the concerned authorities.

However, they said, it was decided in the meeting that the foreign funds, to be received by the federal government, could be used through Pakistan Railways (PR).The Ministry of Railway would later release the fund to KUTC, which is the vehicle for the implementation of the project having on its Board-Directors the senior officials of PR, Government of Sindh and City District Government Karachi (CDGK).An urgent meeting in this regard was needed to solve the issue without any further delay, as the project's cost has already been increased from $872.316 million to $1.58 billion due to the persistent delay, they added. However, Ejaz Khilji, Managing Director, KUTC, said the corporation was seriously considering the re-lending issues and it would be resolved within the next few days.As KUTC has already handled many issues regarding the important project, the transfer of funds was not a big problem, he added.

It is to mention here that the KCR project was to be funded by government of Japan through the Japan Bank of International Co-operation (JBIC). Tokyo has commissioned 100 percent funding for the project under "STEP Loan" at 0.2 percent markup rate for a 40-year payback time, including a 10-year grace period.The project, with the completion of different studies like Environmental Impact Assessment Study (EIAS) and resettlement action plan etc under the aegis of Japan External Trade Organisation), has already been approved by Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec).

Environment Friendly CNG Puses Planned for 10 Mega Cities

Karachi expected to get 4,000 CNG buses out of 8,000

ISLAMABAD: To improve public transport system, the government approved Private-Public Partnership Environment Friendly Public Transport system for major urban centres of Pakistan with a total cost of Rs 5 billion, sources told Daily Times here on Saturday.This transport system would be initiated in 10 major cities including Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Hyderabad, Gujranwala and Sukkur.

The buses will be operated and maintained by private investors under the government’s defined regulatory framework duly assisted by provincial governments in provision of routes, provision of depots, land infrastructure and CNG stations. Sources said that the CNG buses project was a modified umbrella PC-I, envisaging provision of 8,000 dedicated CNG buses in major cities of the country. The scheme would address the public transport problems besides improving environmental conditions. The federal government would meet the interest component (partial) of the capital cost of buses to be inducted on leasing from financial institutions by the private sector bus investors.

Out of the 8,000 buses, 4,000 would be earmarked for Karachi and 4,000 buses would be for the rest of the nine mega cities. With fixed bus price of Rs 3.6 million and the bank interest rate of 10 percent per annum, the cost of interest subsidy over 5 years worked out at Rs 677,181 per bus. Overall progress on the project initially remained slow due to the fact that the only incentive of subsidising the interest component appeared to bus investors as an invisible or indirect subsidy. For effective implementation of the project and in order to attract greater participation of bus investors, Planning Commission sought approval of the cabinet to provide upfront grant of Rs 300,000 per bus to meet interest subsidy and to pay balance amount of Rs 377,181 by the investor over the repayment period of 5 years.

The cabinet in its meeting held on July 16, 2008 accorded its approval. It was also decided that the Ministry of Environment would oversee the implementation of the scheme by ensuring that all the stakeholders, especially the chief ministers of the provinces, were fully on board and provide the essential pre-requisites for the success of this scheme. In pursuance of the above decision of the cabinet, Ministry of Environment as sponsoring agency has prepared the present PC-I to meet the interest subsidy of Rs 5 billion over a period of 5 years for induction of 4,000 CNG dedicated buses in Karachi and the remaining 4,000 CNG buses in others nine mega cities. The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) in its meeting in April 2009 recommended the revised umbrella project for 10 mega cities of the country on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis for approval of Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). The ENCNEC in its meeting on January 21 approved the project.

It also recommend for proper implementation plan for approval of sub-projects in major cities, route planning, land use, provision of CNG high pressure stations other than Karachi and other allied components/ social/ physical required for effective implementation of the scheme would be developed. To encourage local bus manufacturing industry, diesel buses to be converted into CNG system should also be included in the revised scheme, the sources maintained

PML-N Dumped Mega Projects, says Pervaiz

Indeed very Ironic ...... Bad luck for Lahore ............... Don't know who is right who is wrong but fact is these two project were really wonderful
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PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has alleged the incumbent provincial government had abandoned multi-billion dollar foreign-funded projects such as ‘Lahore Rapid Mass Transit System’ and Abu Dahbi Centre at Ferozepur Road due to their inefficiency and lack of vision. Addressing a press conference, Pervaiz claimed that the execution of LRMTS project would have helped the provincial government address traffic problems, environment pollution and oil consumption.

He claimed that the city traffic could have a different look altogether had this project been implemented. The Asian Development Bank and private sector had agreed to put $1 billion each in the project, and the Punjab government $400 million, he added.He regretted that the current PML-N government has abandoned the project only because it was started by the PML-Q government. He urged media to inform the people about injustices being done to them by the PML-N government.

He claimed that he would raise this issue in Punjab Assembly through Opposition Leader Chaudhry Zaheer and Deputy Opposition Leader Ahmed Yar Hiraj.About the LRMTS project, Pervaiz said it included 97 kilometres of underground and elevated passages. In the first phase, it had linked Hamza Town on the Ferozepur Road to Shahdara. He said his government had planned to complete it before 2011 prior to the schedule of Cricket World Cup in 2012. He deplored that the current PML-N government simply lost interest and let the ADB loan expire in June 2009.

The project had the capacity to cater to 35,000 passengers every hour, making it 350,000 commuters in ten hours.“It is criminal negligence and we are taking our case to the people of Punjab to assess for themselves who was, or is, serving them better,” he said.Flanked by Ch Zaheeruddin, he said that the party would raise the matter on the floor of the Punjab Assembly.The project was well studied and thought out. Urban reliance on public transport system in Lahore is almost 60 per cent. In Vietnam, where such reliance was only 20 per cent, it rose rapidly with the introduction of rapid mass transit system, he said.In India, the rapid mass transit system started in Kolkatta and in Delhi.

he Delhi Metro is now the second largest underground rapid transit system in India, he said. Due to the introduction of rapid mass transit system, the Indian society has witnessed a rapid economic, social and cultural transformation. For the financial year ending March 2008, it reported operating revenues of Rs3 billion ($62.89 million), with a profit of $4.12 million.Lahore, with a population of over 9 million, is the country’s 2nd largest city with a growth rate of four per cent. Its transport system, which has horizontal not vertical growth, is poorly developed and under-maintained. Due to high economic growth during 2002-07, vehicle ownership growth also accelerated leading to increased congestion, poor environment and degradation in quality of life, further exacerbating by diverse traffic mix and lack of traffic and pedestrian discipline.

According to an international survey more than 1.35 million passenger trip take place in Lahore daily, he said.The city is suffering annual loss of $100 million due to the absence of rapid, efficient, convenient, time and fuel saving mode of transportation. It has been a huge set back to real estate development, environmental pollution control and contributed to the flight of foreign capital and international investments, he claimed.“Every concerned citizen of Lahore must ask the current provincial government what made it dump the project of public welfare on political and personal grounds,” he said.

CM Punjab visists London Metro

Indeed very good news ......... but I think for cities in Pakistan this would be rather a very difficult job very there is no information available about underground utilities ............... better than this shall be on road Tram system or over head metro like Dubai ............. as certainly less costlier than underground one ..................

Nice Intitative for New Shalimar Interchange in Lahore

Making it green ................ Indeed a nice intiative as such massive infrastructure really disturbs the original landscape
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Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif inaugurated the Shalimar Interchange and the Mughalpura Flyover on Friday. Addressing the ceremony, he said the Shalimar Interchange project was a milestone in the province’s history and was a great step forward in its development. Officers of the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) gave a detailed briefing about the Shalimar Interchange and the Mughalpura Flyover, informing that the 3-tier interchange was a unique project and had been completed in record time. The officials informed that the flyover was 1.6 kilometres long and the underpass was 2.2 km in length.

The CM appreciated the performance of the FWO for ensuring the timely completion of the project. He thanked the FWO, the Lahore Commissioner, DG Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general, the National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK), and the people of the area among others on the completion of the mega gigantic project in record time. The CM also gave away cheques of Rs 0.2 and Rs 0.5 million to the families of those people who lost their lives or were injured during construction work.

Dubai Metro from Burj Khalifa

Wow ............. Spectacular ........

Punjab Government Working on Mass Transit Project: Chief Minister

Confusions ................ Dont know is it going to be implemented
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LAHORE (January 01 2010): Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that development of infrastructure is of key importance for promotion of economic activities and accelerating the pace of development process and solid measures are being taken for this purpose. He was talking to the representative of GTF Consortium Qazi Shujaat Ali here on Thursday, disclosed an official. Secretary Transport Punjab was also present on the occasion.

He said mega projects worth billions of rupees are being executed in the province that would provide relief to the people and leave a far-reaching impact on development of the province. He also said a network of roads is being laid while flyovers and underpasses are being constructed for providing better facilities of travel and transportation of goods in the province.

Negotiations are being held with various countries for the implementation of metro train project in the provincial metropolis, he added. According to him, timely and quality completion of all development projects is being ensured and third-party audit system has been made compulsory for transparent utilisation of funds. A comprehensive strategy has been adopted for infrastructure development.

In addition to construction of new roads, special attention is being paid to the repair and widening of the existing roads. Sagian Interchange and Thokar Niaz Baig Flyover projects have been completed in a highly transparent manner that have streamlined the flow of traffic and saved people from traffic problems.

News about LRMTS Abondoning - Very Sad

‘PML-N stopped development projects’

* PML-Q CEC member Tahir Siddique says Punjab chief minister ‘killed’ projects over grudges

By Hussain Kashif

LAHORE: The Punjab chapter of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid has alleged that the ruling party in the province, the PML-Nawaz, stopped dozens of development projects in 2009 that were started by the previous government of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi.

PML-Q sources told Daily Times that the PML-Q government had started several development projects across the province, but the PML-N stopped all major ones, including the Faisalabad Ring Road, Lahore Mass Transit, Wazirabad Cardiology Hospital, a medical college in Dera Ghazi Khan, District Hospital Khanewal, Sialkot-Lahore Motorway, Rojhan Bridge, Lahore-Khanewal Road, Gujranwala-Sialkot Bridge, Sundar Industrial State, Mubarak Centre and Information Technology Centre.

Grudges: Talking to reporters, PML-Q Central Executive Committee member and Punjab Additional Secretary Tahir Siddique claimed that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had “killed” more than a dozen development projects started by the previous government due to personal grudges.
The PML-Q leader claimed that Shahbaz had stalled the Ring Road project – worth Rs 4 billion – and the Punjab government used around Rs 2 billion of the Faisalabad Development Authority to cover its defaulting accounts.

Siddique said the PML-Q government had started a comprehensive project of the Lahore Mass Transit Train to solve the city’s transportation issues, but Shahbaz stopped it because of grudges against the PML-Q. He claimed that the PML-Q government planned to establish industrial states in all major cities of the province, including Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad, but the PML-N government stopped development work on these projects.

On expanding the premises of various public hospitals and establishment of medical colleges across the province, he said the government had stopped construction of the Wazirabad Cardiology Hospital and Khanewal District Hospital as well as a project to establish a medical college in Dera Ghazi Khan worth Rs 2 billion.

Siddique said the PML-Q government had initiated two information technology-based centres, including the Mubarak Centre and the IT Centre, to provide employment opportunities to the youth but the PML-N government stopped them as well.

He also said that due to the PML-N government’s decision to suspend the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway, two foreign universities, which were committed to the previous provincial government, had been shifted to India, resulting in shift of foreign investment.
He said the Punjab CM wanted to take credit of all the development projects which were actually started by the PML-Q. He alleged that the PML-N government had also stopped the Lahore Mass Transit Train project.