Self-reliance programme: CDGK to invest Rs 250 million in 50 CNG buses project

[LahoreEstate]

KARACHI: City Nazim Mustafa Kamal has decided to launch a pilot project for dedicated CNG buses in the city under a self-reliance programme.

In this regard, initially 50 dedicated CNG buses, worth Rs 250 million, will be purchased and will be operational by March 15. A well-placed officer in the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) told Daily Times that the pilot project is aimed at facilitating citizens and all the operators will be outsourced on merit. The passengers will also be provided with a ticket-booth facility.

It has also been decided that the CDGK would subsidise the entire operation to keep the tariff as low as possible because without subsidy the cost of travel would be increased tenfold, claimed the officer.

The CDGK has already managed publication of an advertisement in this regard. A well-placed officer told Daily Times that it has long been since the federal government had announced a project worth Rs 2.5 billion for plying around 8,000 CNG buses, including 5,000 large buses and 3,000 small buses, all over Pakistan, out of which 800 are for the city but initially 500 were to be introduced. However, it seems that the project will take many years, commented the officer.

The officer cited a case that caused the CDGK to lag almost a year behind when the CDGK and Pakistan-based company M/s Kenhill signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to make investments in public transportation sector with the financial collaboration of a Holland-based company to get 500 dedicated CNG buses by June 2007. The deadline for the CNG buses to be operational was June 2007 but M/s Kenhill declined to abide by the MoU for reasons best known to either party.

It is pertinent to mention that CDGK Mass Transit Cell Director General Malik Zaheer-ul-Islam had also, in February 2008, told Daily Times that 500 dedicated CNG buses would be on the roads by July 2008. In order to improve the functioning of the transport department, the nazim had decided to shift the responsibility of establishing high-pressure CNG filing stations to the CDGK Enterprises and Investment Promotions (EIP).

Thus, the Karachi District Coordination Officer (DCO) Muhammad Javed Hanif Khan had, on March 31, 2008, officially assigned EIP with the charge of establishing five CNG filling stations in the city at remotely located barren bus depots formerly used by the defunct Karachi Transport Corporation (KTC). Unfortunately, these five sites have already been encroached upon, while Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has imposed a ban on establishing new CNG stations.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg12_5