Modern Transport Infrastructure Soon: LTC chief

LAHORE

THE Lahore Transport Company (LTC) is strengthening the role of private transport sector in the city.

The private sector is taking keen interest in the purchase of 300 new buses for Lahore. A state-of-the-art transport related infrastructure will be established soon in the city.

According to a press release issued on Thursday, the LTC Chairman said this while presiding over a meeting of the board of directors here on Thursday. Board members Ahsan Chughtai, Javed Masood, Meher Ishtiaq Ahmed, Secretary Transport Muhammad Yousaf and Traffic Police SSP Muhammad Azhar Akram participated in the meeting.

LTC GM Operation Asad Gillani, GM Enforcement Fawad Qureshi, GM Finance Adnan Mudassar, Manager Operation Asfand Yar, Deputy Manager Planning Huma Daha were also present. LTC Chairman Tasneem Noorani said that a transparent procedure had been adopted for the purchase of 300 buses. He said that in response to advertisement in major news papers, a number of credible private transport companies had shown interest in investing in urban transport project initiated by the LTC. He said that a driving school and vehicle fitness centre of international standards would be set up in the city. He said that international institutions were also extending cooperation in reforming the transport system of Lahore.

He said the LTC had established 10 bus-shelters on the B9 Route from railway station to Kahna. These shelters have been built in Garden Town, Model Town, railway crossing, Main Bazaar Ismail Nagar, Chungi Amar Sadhu, Qaddafi Stadium, Children Hospital and Ghazi Road bus stops. Such bus shelters will also be built in other parts of the city. He said the LTC was planning to provide air-conditioned coasters at Model Town and Defence as a pilot project to minimise unnecessary use of cars. It would give help reduce traffic congestion in the city.

He said that private sector had also shown avid interest in the project of air conditioned vans in this pilot project.

Deputy Manager Planning Huma Daha briefed the meeting on the survey conducted for the Defence and Model Town pilot projects. Manager Operations Asfand Yar briefed the meeting on the measures taken for transport related infrastructure in the provincial metropolitan.

Lahore Mass Transit System - Making of Lahore Metro Authority

Further update about Lahore Mass Transit System
----------------------------------------------------------

KCR Project: 'Re-Lending' issue Hampering Approval

KARACHI (May 18 2010): The Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project, is likely to be approved by President shortly, is feared not to be implemented if it is approved without solving the issue of "re-lending" of around $1.58 billion by the Japanese government.

According to sources, Karachi Urban Transport Corporation (KUTC) has submitted a report about the long-awaited project to President. The president, who is recently in the city, is likely to approve the project with other three transport related projects, they said.

KUTC, they said, has demanded the approval to shift the "Exchange Risk Coverage of 6.8 percent to the corporation, which means the reduction of almost 18 percent from the approved fund of $1.58 billion. The direct transfer of the amount to KUTC through the federal government, which would face an 18 percent cut, making the project impracticable, sources said.

They said the procedure of releasing funds would face the drastic cut of 6.8 percent "risk rate" and almost 12 percent "interest rate" making the total deduction of over 18 percent.

Interestingly, there was an easy way to save huge amount as there would be no reduction of risk rate if the foreign fund was managed to be transferred to KUTC through Pakistan Railways (PR), they said. But, they said, the high-ups in the KUTC were reluctant to transfer the amount directly to the corporation. Sources claimed, a meeting was held on December 18 at Economic Affairs Division (EAD), Islamabad, which had suggested to use the safe route for the transfer of fund.

It was suggested in the meeting that funds would be released through the Ministry of Railways to KUTC, who on its Board of Directors the senior officials of PR, Government of Sindh and City District Government Karachi (CDGK), they said. But despite a lapse of over four months, the relevant authorities had not been able to resolve the issue. The sensitive issue, it is stated, was not addressed since the project was under going different studies during the last few years.

The fresh report to the president, sources claimed, was submitted by KUTC after resolving the dispute between Malir Development Authority and PR for clearing a location for the resettlement of thousands of effectees of KCR project. The project had already passed through different studies like Environmental Impact Assessment Study (EIAS), resettlement action plan etc under the aegis of Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO).

Lahore Mass Transit Project: Finally back on Track

Indeed a very heartening news after a long time .................... Thanks to CM for his approval and interest.
------------------------------------------------------------------

LAHORE: A seminar on the Lahore Rapid Mass Transport System (LRMTS), the futuristic capital city train project meant to reduce congestion on city roads, that is expected to be built in 15 years, witnessed an interesting development on Friday when the issue generating the most heated debate turned out to be the right of the people to name the project.

Participants of the third seminar in the series included engineers and former civil servants. Some of them said they were shocked that the government had not invited the citizens to help name the country’s first metro system. Suleman Ghani, the LRMTS chairman, assured the anxious participants, “The civil society will be taken into confidence before an agreement is reached.” Earlier, Zahid Baig, a retired civil servant, said he was worried that there had been no meaningful consultation with the people who had, for decades, looked after the transport sector. He said that their input was important. Also, he said, they should have been the first to propose names and a logo for the project.

He sought then to take the lead in this respect and suggested that the LRMTS should be named Quaid-i-Azam Metro Train. Jabbar Huma, an engineer, said that the project should be named after a national hero, somebody for whom the people had great respect and love. “If people vote to name it Benazir Metro Train, I don’t see any harm in it,” she added. Sajida Zuberi said for her security was the biggest concern. The problem, she said had been aggravated by the on-going operation against militants. Unfortunately, she said, it was far from clear what the government planned to do to make the facilities safe.

Several consultants helping with various aspect of the project, including Alexander Jonard, Faysal El-Khoumisti, Meera Eland, Pamela Rogers and Mazhar Iqbal, also attended the seminar. Javaid Aslam, the Planning and Development Board chairman, presided over it. The speakers said for ensuring a better quality of life for all their residents, mega urban centres like metropolitan Lahore needed to develop within the framework of strategic master planning, incorporating economic parameters for efficiency gains.

They hoped that the system would minimise congestion on public transport routes, provide high quality service in terms of speed, frequency and ease of accessibility to reduce the dependence on road vehicles and facilitate safe and environmentally sustainable transport. They said in its first year of operation the Green Line will daily carry nearly 300,000 passengers. “After ascertaining the project’s economic and financial viability through the network feasibility studies and pertinent review by the Asian Development Bank, the government of Punjab has obtained ADB’s commitment to finance the infrastructure component for the LRMTS project – around 50 per cent of the project’s overall costs.

The government is considering several options including the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) for the metro’s rolling stock, system and operations. Initially, the metro is to have a fleet of 26 trains. Later, 27 more trains will be added. Each train will have 6 cars – a capacity of 1,040 passengers – and may include a separate section for women and children. “The trains will be around 100 metres long, around 3 metres wide and fully air-conditioned. The automated train operation system will allow a two minute headway.

This will provide ultimate capacity of 30,000 passengers per hour in each direction.”All station platforms are planned to be 102 metres long and to have screen doors. All stations will be accessible for disabled passengers from the street to platform level. The stations are designed to contribute to the city’s image. Small shops and kiosks at these will allow the passengers to purchase newspapers, drinks and snacks, during their journey. Presiding the seminar, LRMTS planning chairman, Javaid Iqbal later gave an insight in to the project, expected to be completed in three phases.

He said that the system would minimise congestion on public transport routes as it is expected to approximately commute nearly 0.3 million passengers daily. He went to tell that a French company SYSTRA is expected to allocate more than fifty per cent of the funds for the project. The project is expected to be opened with a fleet of 26 trains during the first phase and another 27 will be added by next, the chairmen added

CM mention about Lahore Metro

LAHORE (May 14 2010): Punjab and Iran signed eight agreements regarding co-operation in transport, technical education, establishment of modern slaughter house in Lahore, science, establishment of floriculture and flower plant centre, recreational park, solid waste management and beautification of cities.

CM Punjab said the government is setting up a state-of-the-art Expo Centre in Lahore with the co-operation of the federal government. The Expo Centre is in the final stages of completion and will soon be inaugurated. It is his desire that joint Pak-Iran exhibitions should be arranged at the Expo Centre. He said Punjab government is also working on the Metro project in Lahore and it will try to complete the project as soon as possible.

A Wonderful Study on Transportation System in Pakistan

How Long Our Transport Departmernts Shows their Negligence

May 04, 2010: The plight of the commuters in Pakistani urban cities continues .............. where they are paying huge fares for such ugly rides .............. ironic