Metro Bus Project to be completed by January 31: Senate told

[Salman]

ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Interior and Narcotic Control Muhammad Baleegh-ur-Rehman on Wednesday informed the Senate that Metro Bus Project will be completed January, 31.
Replying during Question Hours, he said, the project was expected to complete on December 25, but due to sit-ins of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), the project was delayed for one month only.
He said contractors of the project, demanded the government to give six moths more time for the completion of the project, but only month was allowed.
He said presently no public transport was operating in Islamabad. However, he said, private transport was plying on different routes in Islamabad Capital Territory.
The Minister said at present 23 Inter-City routes was plying in Islamabad whereas 7 routes are added from time to time keeping in view the public demand. He added that two new routes were launched in the past six months.
He said, the ICT administration exercises regulatory and supervisory role on private transport in ICT, adding there was no proposal with ICT administration for launching of mass public transport system in the city.
To another question, the Minister said the Civil Defence Department appointed 70 volunteers during the last five years.
An amount of Rs 5,488,900 had been paid to Razakars as remuneration during the last five years.
Baleegh said, the Livestock and Dairy Development Department ICT Islamabad aims at enhancement of livestock productivity through provision of veterinary healthcare as well as bred improvement services at 11 veterinary filed outlets located in the rural ICT.
He said the technical field staff, comprising of 25 officials, deployed at the 11 veterinary outlasts in ICT.
Main functions of the Agriculture Department ICT are provision of extension services to the farmers of ICT, construction of green houses, off season vegetable cultivation, training, motivation of farmers for adoption of the recent technologies and establishment of demonstration plots.
The Minister said the government was taking steps to control the increasing incidents of rape.
Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2014