RAWALPINDI: People who travel from Rawalpindi to Islamabad on a daily basis have expressed resentment due to the week-long closure of the metro bus service, forcing them to take expensive alternate routes to reach the federal capital.

The metro elevated track — from Saddar to Faizabad — was closed for repairs on November 28 and expected to open on Dec 2 but the Rawalpindi Development Authority and the Punjab MassTransit Authority later decided to resume the bus service today (Tuesday).

On Nov 24, the bus service remained closed due to protests.

The project named ‘Rehabilitation of Metro Corridor from Saddar to Faizabad’ to the tune of Rs718.945 million started in July and according to its deadline, it was supposed to be completed by December end. However, the work is likely to end in January.

As protests and repairs disrupt the metro operations, those who travel between the twin cities daily face most problems.

Before the metro, Murree Road had public transport plying between Rawalpindi and Islamabad but after the construction of the metro corridor, transporters are banned from using Murree Road from Marrir Chowk to Chandni Chowk.

Bus service to resume today after almost a week-long closure

So whenever the metro is suspended, people have no option but to use expensive alternatives.

They complained that for the past five months, the track was not repaired and due to frequent protests from July to November, the metro service was suspended many times.

Mohammad Rizwan, a university student, said that he had to change two vans to reach his university in H-9 because the metro service was not operating.

“Sometimes, the service is suspended due to protests and now it is closed in the name of repairs,” he rued.

Maqbool Ahmed, who works in Blue Area, said it was the inefficiency of authorities to complete work on time even after five months.

Iftikhar Ahmad, waiting at the Committee Chowk bus terminal, expressed his anger over the suspension of the metro bus service. He said that there was no alternative to going to Islamabad via Murree Road.

On the other hand, Punjab Mass transit Authority Rawalpindi and Islamabad Chapter Manager Operation Wajid Saleem said that the metro bus service in the Rawalpindi section would be operational from Tuesday (today).

He said that the bus service had been suspended from November 28 for repairs at the request of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) – the executing agency for repair works.

In reply to a question, he said the RDA asked the contractor to complete the work by December 31, adding that 80 per of the work had been completed.

When contacted, the official said that the RDA had faced problems completing the work in the stipulated timeframe due to a law and order situation in the twin cities.

He said that from November 28 to December 2 the track was closed to buses due to repairs on the elevated track from Committee Chowk to Khatam-i-Nabuwat Station (Shamsabad).

Meanwhile, RDA Director General Kinza Murtaza expressed regret for the inconvenience caused by this temporary suspension, stating, “We understand that this may cause difficulties for commuters, but these measures are crucial for the long-term enhancement and repair of the metro corridor. Once completed, the renovation will significantly improve the quality of the corridor, ensuring better and more comfortable travel options for the public.”

Published in Dawn, December 3rd, 2024