RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) will start the repair of Metro Bus Service’s elevated track from Saddar to Faizabad next month at a cost of Rs1.25 billion after nine years of its construction.

RDA Director General Saif Anwar Jappa told Dawn that the NESPAK after a survey recommended the administration to start the repair work, saying the track was in dire need of repair nine years after its construction.

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He said that the Punjab Masstransit Authority asked the RDA to do the repair work as it completed the project in 2014, adding the RDA would get funds from the Punjab government for the repair work. In the initial phase, the authorities will repair the elevated track from Saddar to Faizabad within six months, the DG said.

Govt to spend Rs1.25 billion on over 8km-long road; repair work to start next month

According to Mr Jappa, the repair work on the Sixth Road Station would be completed by Jan 2, after which the elevated track would repaired. Punjab Masstransit Authority General Manager Operation Uzair Shah told Dawn that the heavy rainfall in the past damaged the metro track and it needed repair.

The official said the metro stations’ pavements made of tough tiles would be converted into concrete pavements and potholes formed in the bus corridors would also be filled.

The repair will be taken up in three phases, but modalities have yet to be finalised, he said, adding that the RDA had been asked to select areas for repair in this regard. He said, “We would not close the track for repair and the buses will continue to ply…we will make an operational plan for the buses.”

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Apart from this, Mr Shah said that Punjab Masstransit Authority would rent out two halls of its Control and Command Building in Saddar to generate revenue. He said that the tenders had been advertised in this regard. He said that all the elevators and escalators would become functional in the coming days and in this regard, the vendor had been contacted for the repair.

It may be mentioned here that the project was completed in 2014 and the federal and Punjab governments equally shared the cost, which was Rs44.8 billion. The Rawalpindi section had cost Rs19.17 billion and the Islamabad section had cost Rs23.84 billion.

The total length of the Metro Bus Corridor is approximately 23km, including 8.6km elevated, 10km at grade and a four-kilometre trench. 68 air-conditioned buses for the service are being operated and transport an estimated 150,000 passengers daily.

The portion of Metro Bus Service in Rawalpindi from Flashman’s Hotel to Faizabad having a distance of 8.6 km is elevated, while in Islamabad 14.6 km is on the ground, starting from Faizabad to Pak Secretariat via IJP Road and 9th Avenue. The track has 24 modern stations for the passengers. Of these 10 are on Murree Road while 14 are in Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2023