ISLAMABAD: A study carried out by the National University of Sciences and Technology (Nust) was shared with Capital Development Authority (CDA) wherein 13 new bus routes connecting several areas of the city have been identified.

The study was shared during a meeting held at the CDA Headquarters which was attended by CDA Chairman retired Capt Mohammad Usman, PML-N leader and former MNAs Hanif Abbasi, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Anjum Aqeel Khan and officials from the CDA and Nust.

Nust was engaged by the CDA to carry out the feasibility study to identify new potential routes.

Sources said Nust officials informed the meeting that 13 new routes had been identified and if buses were plied on these routes, the entire city would be connected in a better way.

Nine routes within the city and four in rural areas

Nine new routes are within the city and four for rural areas that include Nilor to Khana, Tramri to Aabpara, N5 (GT Road) to D-17 and from I.J.P. Road to the metro station.

The Nust officials gave a presentation and said they would provide a hard copy of their report to the CDA soon. The civic agency will then start working on preparing a PC-I for doing civil work on the routes.

Sources said 150 buses will be required for the 13 routes. They said that the CDA, after construction work on the routes, will try to engage private operators to ply buses on them.

Last month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the CDA to start an intercity bus service within one month; therefore, the CDA is making efforts towards starting the service after launching three metro bus services.

On the other hand, they said, all three metro bus services – Orange Blue and Green - which were inaugurated by the prime minister in April and July, are still offering free rides to commuters as fares are yet to be fixed by the federal government.

The prime minister inaugurated the Orange Line Metro in April, which plies from Peshawar Mor to Islamabad International Airport. He had ordered the CDA to provide free bus service to people for one month. On July 7, the prime minister also inaugurated the Green Line Metro (from Bhara Kahu to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences) and Blue Line (from Koral to Pims) and ordered the civic body to run these services free for a month.

According to sources, in July, the CDA sent a summary to the interior ministry for getting approval of the fares from the federal government. However, the government has not taken a decision.

In its summary, the CDA had proposed Rs50 for Green, Blue and Orange Line services and Rs100 from N-5 station to the airport which means that a passenger will pay Rs150 to travel from Peshawar Mor to the airport.

Sources said recently the interior ministry verbally asked the CDA to reduce the proposed Rs50 fare to Rs30 for Green and Blue line services and also reduce fare of Orange Line bus service from up to Rs150 to Rs100.

However, sources said that so far, the civic agency had not received any thing black and white from Ministry of Interior in this regard.

“Whenever, we receive the official letter, we will start charging fare,” said an official of CDA.

The CDA had hired services of a bus operator against Rs147 per kilometre for Orange Line service. The operator was also engaged to run the Green and Blue bus services on a temporary basis until a new contractor was hired.

CDA officials said that if the bus service on 13 routes starts, it will provide relief to people of Islamabad.

They said that the capital city, after GT Bus Service (which was abolished in the early 90s) had no public bus service.

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2022