Around 24 bus stations being constructed on Metro Bus route

[Salman]

As many as 24 bus stations are being constructed on the Metro Bus route, an official of Metro Bus Service Project said on Tuesday.

“Ten of these bus stations are being constructed in Rawalpindi, while the rest would be in the Capital city,” he told media.

He said that the bus stations, costing Rs4,152 million would have state-of-the-art facilities like screen doors, lifts, electronic stairs, ticket stations and automatic platforms.

He said that the multi-billion bus service project, which was scheduled to be launched on December 25 this year, had been delayed due to the sit-ins in the Capital city, as work on its Islamabad portion could not continue.

The bus stations for Rawalpindi include Saddar (Flashman Hotel), Marir Chowk, Liaquat Bagh, Committee Chowk, Waris Khan, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rehmanabad, Sixth Road, Shamisabad and Faizabad, while IJP Road, Potohar Road, Khayban-e-Johar, Faiz Ahmed Faiz Road, Kashmir Highway, Jhaman Road, Ibn-e-Sina Road, Kutchery Chowk, Stock Exchange, Seventh Avenue, Shaheed-e-Millat Road, Parade Ground and Secretariat Stop would be in Islamabad.

The official said that the Metro Bus Authority would take over the command and control center and bus stations of Metro Bus Service in November.

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) is trying hard to complete the construction work on Metro Bus Command and Control Center and 14 bus stations within the shortest possible timeframe, he said.

After taking over, the Metro Bus Authority would install elevators, escalators, security camera monitors and other equipment at the centre and bus stations, he said.

He said that the Metro Bus Authority would not only run the bus service but also handle other issues including security and providing ambulance service in case of an accident.

He said total 83 elevators and escalators would be installed at bus stations. He said the construction work on the Islamabad section was in full swing. The RDA would hand over bus stations in Islamabad to the Metro Bus Authority as soon as work on them was finished, he maintained.