KARACHI, Aug 16: While Japanese experts studying the feasibility of a transport project have planned two bus routes from suburban areas to the city centre, the city government has requested them to extend the routes by incorporating other parts of the metropolis in the plan.
The request was made at a briefing given by the Japanese experts on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a part of the Karachi Transportation Improvement Project, to a joint steering committee comprising government officials, said Karachi Mass Transit Cell (KMTC) chief Rasheed Mughal on Tuesday.
The study being funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency is likely to complete by the end of next year.
He said that the two BRT routes — from Surjani Town and Safoora Goth to the mausoleum of the Quaid-i-Azam — suggested by the Japanese team, headed by Minoru Shibuya, would cater to around 800,000 passengers on a daily basis.
Under the BRT system, a separate lane would be reserved for the buses to cut travel time drastically, he added.
He said the Japanese team suggested that the first route (being described as Red Line) buses would start their journey from Safoora Goth and end it at the Mazar-i-Quaid. Over 350,000 passengers used this route, mainly University Road, on a daily basis, he added.
The official said the other route buses would start from Surjani Town and reach the Mazar-i-Quaid after passing through Nazimabad and Golimar, according to the experts, though they were not clear about the right of way through the congested area of Golimar.
Over 430,000 passengers used this route on a daily basis, he added.
The KMTC chief said the city government officials told the Japanese experts that the passengers would face difficulties if the routes ended at the mausoleum.
They suggested to the team that the first route be extended up to Regal Chowk by including the Preedy Street corridor in it.
About the other route, the officials had two proposals. Firstly, they said, the route from Golimar onwards could include Daak Khana, Teen Hatti, Jail Chowrangi, Shaheed-i-Millat Road and Sharea Faisal. Secondly, they added, from Golimar onwards, the route could be diverted to Sharae Faisal via Shahrah-i-Quaideen.
Mr Mughal said the Japanese team liked the suggestions and told the city government officials that they would discuss the same with JICA. If the proposals were approved, they would continue with the study, the team members were quoted as saying. He said the team then left for Japan.
The experts would return within the next few weeks to start working on the second phase of the study, he said.
Meanwhile, he said, the CDGK was planning to organise a seminar to make people aware of the findings, suggestions and recommendations related to the project so that feedback of civil society and other stakeholders could be looked into and made part of the plan if deemed appropriate.
He said the study would complete by the end of 2012 and then implementation would begin. By 2016, the BRT would be operational with foreign assistance.
He said that separate lanes, bus stations and other infrastructure would be built and buses would be purchased under the Rs21 billion worth project. It would be operated through a private operator, with the government working as a monitoring body, he added.
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