Bus Rapid Transit System: Govt Pushes ahead with Construction Work

The Punjab government has decided to launch work on all remaining sections of the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and hope to finish the project in six months, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The project to build a double bus-only lane down the centre of Ferozepur Road from Youhanabad to Shahdara at a cost of Rs22 billion has been divided into six packages. Work on the 10.1-kilometre package 1, from Youhanabad to Kalma Chowk, is to be completed in one month, said Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA) officials.

A company was selected to work on the 4.9-km package two, from Kalma Chowk to Qurtaba Chowk, about a week ago and it has set up a site office. The plants on the green belt on Ferozepur Road from Kalma Chowk to the Muslim Town flyover have been removed.

Tenders for packages three and four, which will consist of a 4.1-km elevated lane from Qurtaba Chowk to Data Darbar, are to be issued in three days, while tenders for packages five (Data Darbar to Niazi Adda, a distance of 2.5 km) and six (a 5.5-km stretch from Niazi Adda to Shahdara) are also to be allotted within a week, said officials.

The Planning and Development Department has approved the elevated lane to be built in packages three and four. An official said that the Old Ravi Bridge would serve as the BRTS lane for package five and would be closed to general traffic.

Former Lahore Development Authority director general Sibtain Fazal-i-Haleem has been made the project director for the entire BRTS. TEPA Director Mazhar Hussain Khan is project director for packages one and two, TEPA Director Israr Saeed for packages three and four, and Deputy Chief Engineer Saifur Rehman for packages five and six.

Officials connected with the project said that they were currently deciding what land purchases would be necessary for the BRTS route. They said that large amounts of land would be required for packages two, three and four and they anticipated protests in some cases.

An official said that three to ten feet of land from the edge of the road would be required at Ichhra, and around 21 feet at Shama on Ferozepur Road. Land would also have to be bought from the Old Hailey College for package three.

He said that several shops would have to torn down at Qurtaba Chowk, and many shops on one side of Lytton Road. Shops at the corner of Lake Road would also have to be demolished. He said that the construction of packages five and six would be simpler and did not require extensive land acquisition.

TEPA Planning Director Khalid Mehmood Alvi said that it was a good idea to start work on the entire project at once. “It will mean finishing in the shortest possible time and I think the project will be completed in six months or so,” he said.

It would also mean that the project is finished while the PML-Nawaz remains in the government, so that a successor government could not shelve it, he added.

Can Buses run in such a City ~ Where hooligan Organization Rules

Shame ........ and what else
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Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) activists made good on its call for a protest, burning two buses and vandalising several police vehicles on Friday.

At least 78 Jamiat members were arrested by the police; some for trying to rally on The Mall while others were nabbed in a raid, allegedly after alcohol and illegal weapons were found in their hostel rooms.

The IJT had issued a call for a country-wide demonstration on Thursday to protest the police’s failure to arrest the murderer(s) of Awais Aqeel, an IJT member and a Punjab University (PU) student who was shot dead on Sunday. The university administration has denied that Aqeel was a “regular student”. A spokesperson said that Aqeel had failed his LLB (Part-I) exams and was enrolled to only sit for his supplementary exams.

Jamiat members started walking from Chauburji Chowk before Friday prayers. When they reached Nasser Bagh and turned towards The Mall, they were baton charged by the police. At least 52 students were arrested.

Protests have been banned on The Mall by the Lahore High Court.

Witnesses said that the students broke the windshield and windows of several police vehicles. They also stopped a rickshaw carrying small blackboards and wooden stands. They then used them to attack the policemen. Police also used tear gas to disperse the protesting students.

Jamiat members allegedly also torched two buses – one at Samanabad Mor on Multan Road and the other in Township. According to witnesses, students stopped the buses and told the passengers to disembark. They allegedly said they would put the buses on fire with people on board if they refused to get off.

Separately, police raided PU hostels number 1, 2, 4, 15 and 18 at around 2:30 am on Friday and arrested 26 IJT activists. Those arrested include the university nazim, Haq Nawaz, and general secretary, Abdul Muqeet. University administration said that liquor and weapons was seized from the IJT activists’ rooms.

An IJT spokesperson Arif Hussain, however, denied the allegations. No liquor or weapons were recovered from the hostel rooms, he said. He accused the administration of “maligning” the Jamiat. A PU spokesperson said the recent incidents supported the administration’s stance that student wings of political parties should not be allowed in universities.

Classes remained suspended for the second consecutive day at the university after the Academic Staff Association continued its boycott. Prof Shaukat Ali said the association would discuss its strategy in its meeting on Monday. He appreciated “the government’s decision to launch an operation against ‘rogue elements’ at the university.”

Faisalabad gets new air-conditioned buses

Chief Minister inaugurated a new air-conditioned (AC) CNG bus service on Saturday.

Shahbaz also boarded a bus and travelled from the Main Bus Terminal near GTS Chowk to Station Chowk.

He said that the buses would run on Route 11. More buses would run on other routes. He said that the Abdullahpur flyover will be inaugurated soon.

Public transport: Foton & Turkish Company Albayrak to run More Buses

The Lahore Transport Company (LTC) on Friday launched its service between Lahore and Kasur and signed an agreement with a Turkish company to import 100 new buses for four new routes in the city. Both ceremonies were presided over by LTC Chairman Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan.

As many as 30 air conditioned buses, provided by the Foton Busco Company, will run on this route (route 51). There would be 16 stops on the route. The fare will be Rs20 for the shortest ride and the maximum Rs70.

While addressing the launch ceremony, Hassaan said, “These international standard buses will give a strong momentum to our efforts at facilitating the people.”

Foton Busco Chairman Joseph Vergease, Kasur district coordination officer and LTC Vice Chairman Mehar Ishtiaq were also present.

Hassaan said that the LTC had provided a favourable environment for investment in the urban transport sector.

In his address, Vergease appreciated the Punjab government’s efforts in executing public transport projects. He said that 30 air-conditioned buses were being plied in the first phase. More public transport projects will be launched soon in various districts of the Punjab and Sindh, he added.

100 more from Turkish company

Also on Friday, Hassaan presided over a ceremony where he signed an agreement with the Turkish Company Albayrak which will operate 100 new air-conditioned buses on four new routes of the city.

The agreement was signed by LTC Chief Executive Officer Khwaja Haider Latif and Hamid Chelac, member of the Albayrak Board of Directors at the Chief Minister Secretariat.

Hassaan said huge investment in the domain of socio economic development by the Turkish companies was the indication of the strong relationship between the two countries.

The buses will operate from General Bus Stand to Allama Iqbal International Airport (route 8), from Allama Iqbal International Airport to Valencia Town (route 28), from Allama Iqbal International Airport to Sherakot (route 39) and from Defence to Allama Iqbal International Airport (route 46)

Review Meeting for AC buses for seven cities

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Tuesday his government plans to launch air-conditioned buses in seven major cities of the Punjab. The announcement came on Tuesday during a meeting with Lahore Transport Company Chairman Khawaja Ahmad Hassaan and Bus Rapid Transit System Chairman Mehar Ishtiaq.

The Planning and Development Board chairman, Transport and Finance Departments secretaries, divisional commissioners, Lahore Development Authority director general, the district coordination officer and National Engineering Services Pakistan (Pvt) Limited representatives were also present.

A Chief Minister’s Secretariat spokesperson told The Express Tribunethat several decisions were taken in the meeting regarding the air-conditioned bus service, establishing the Bus Rapid Transit Authority and modernising the public transport system in the province.

The chief minister while addressing the meeting said that the provision of affordable and comfortable transport facilities to the masses was one of the government’s priorities. He said that air-conditioned CNG public transport buses will soon be launched in Lahore, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Multan, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Sialkot.

He said that 350 buses had so far been imported from Turkey. Out of these, he said, 200 had arrived in Lahore last week. The remaining were undergoing the clearance process in Karachi. The chief minister said that the service would soon be launched in collaboration with the private sector.

The chief minister said that a proposal to launch a bus service up to Wagha border was also under consideration. He also directed the district coordination officers to take special measures for regulating traffic in their districts.

He said that establishing a certified parking company was the need of the hour. He said it would soon be set up under the city district government, which would be responsible for safe and suitable parking arrangements at various points in the city.

The chief minister said that the Bus Rapid Transit Authority would run a Metro Bus Service. He said that the Metro Bus Service would prove a paradigm shift in the public transport system in the country.

He also directed the officers concerned to make necessary arrangements to accommodate the disabled and senior citizens. He said besides installation of electronic ticketing in Metro Bus Service, proper training will be given to its staff.

“A Metro Bus would be available every two minutes,” he added.

Later, Hassaan briefed the chief minister on various aspects of the Bus Rapid Transit System.