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[Lahore_Real_Estate]

* Five firms make offers to conduct feasibility study

* Constant delay in project likely to increase its cost from Rs 55 million to Rs 100 million

By Ikram Junaidi

Capital Development Authority (CDA) has received offers from five consultant firms regarding feasibility study of a mass transit system for Islamabad. Offers will be opened on August 16 and then it will take one and a half months to analyze the lowest bidder.

Sources told Daily Times on Tuesday that due to delay by the CDA, cost of the project is continuously increasing. It was Rs 55 million initially. After that a Swedish firm, M/s Reklers, demanded Rs 70 million. Now is the third time for the bidding and this time it is estimated that the lowest bid will be Rs 100 million.

The consultant will conduct field survey and traffic counts to establish database on the current needs of the twin cities, especially Islamabad. The terms of reference (TOR) include occupancy and travel time, origin and destination, public transport, passengers embarking and disembarking, stated preferences, willingness to pay and home interview-based surveys.

According to sources, the consultant will prepare travel demand forecasts by mode and well-defined corridors along with their linkages to phase-I and for subsequent phases up to 2030. They would also authenticate the forecast against a system, currently operational in comparable cities in Asia.

The survey would identify potential urban mass transit corridors and develop an integrated network plan for immediate phase-I, short-term phase II, medium-term phase III and long-term phase IV up to 2030 and beyond.

According to the new TOR, the survey also includes providing estimate of investment requirements, fare-box revenues for each mode, institutional arrangements for operation and implementation.

The study would define the mode of operation including private, public-private, built-operate-transfer (BOT) and participation of different authorities in terms of infrastructure and operations such as land reservation for surface right of way (ROW), terminals, workshop facilities, stops, parking facilities, development of land for commercial use.

The study also includes preparation of phase-wise action plan consisting of immediate phase I, short-term phase II, medium-term phase III and long-term phase IV.

The study would provide information about manpower and training requirement for each stage and mode of urban transport for all phases (construction, operation and maintenance), said the sources.

They said the study would include identification and availability of energy and fuel requirements for the transport sector. The survey would also identify the project’s environmental, social and financial aspects.

The consultant firm would also analyze possibilities of under ground railway system (Tube Stations) to make the transportation fast and decrease traffic on roads. It will be cheaper than road transportation.

CDA Director for Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning, Azam Khan Lodhi, said it would take about eight months to complete the study. He said CDA wanted to conduct an advanced study to make Islamabad equal to capitals of developed countries.