PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has accelerated work on Peshawar Rapid Mass Transit System to ease the traffic pressure on the main thoroughfares in the provincial metropolis.

The government has initiated feasibility process of the project after completion of its pre-feasibility phase. The road corridor-II via Chamkani, GT Road, Sonehri Masjid Road, Sir Syed Road and Jamrud Road has been chosen of the total six corridors proposed for the entire mega project.

According to a handout, Chief Minster Pervez Khattak was informed during a meeting here on Monday that about 400,000 commuters used the route daily.

During the meeting, it was stated that Rs2 billion were estimated cost of the corridor that would be completed in one year while the entire project including all the six corridors would be completed in three years at a cost of $630 million.

The project included 26 kilometres Chamkani to Hayatabad rail corridor-I; road corridor-VI along the same rail track; corridor-III from Warsak Road to Kohat Road via Saddar, AK Afridi Road and Kohat Road; corridor-IV from Charsadda Road to Bara Road terminal near Ring Road via Saddar, corridor-V consisting inner city circular road and Ring Road.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) has pledged to provide $1 million grant for its feasibility and $7 million soft loan in case of progress on it.

The chief minister asked the authorities for expediting work on the project and expressed the confidence that the mega project would mitigate hours long traffic jam problem and would enable people to reach other ends of the city within minutes.

The meeting decided that corridor-II would be completed in five different phases while priority would be given to those portions where minor hurdles persisted in smooth flow of traffic. Later the portions of flyovers would be completed.

Mr Khattak also directed for setting up of autonomous transport authority for metro bus service to ply later so that deficiencies could be removed.

The work on feasibility of rail corridor-I has already been started. The report would be submitted to chief minister by next month.