Karachi: Kamal seeks $800m from ADB for bus rapid transit

[Naveed Yaseen]

KARACHI: City Nazim Mustafa Kamal stated Monday that 800 million dollars to be provided by the Asian Development Bank for mega projects, will now be spent on the Bus Rapid Transit system.

He said this to Arif Parvez, who heads the Pakistan Chapter of the Clinton Foundation, Monday. Kamal pointed out that the Mass Transit was a mega with having different sectors. However, its BRT system can be developed in a shorter time. In the beginning, the BRT system can be developed within 12 to 18 months as its entire study and survey have already been completed.

Separately, Kamal said that financial year 2008-09 was the year of the social sector and after health and education, greater attention is being paid to eliminating environmental pollution from the city and making it green and beautiful.

He said a system should be devised for the Parks department so it is unaffected by the postings or transfers of its officials. He said that from now on if anyone is found cutting a tree within the city government jurisdiction, an FIR be registered against then.

Also, University Road and Road-5000 will be inaugurated soon. However, prior to that these roads have to be made green.

Kamal also banned Monday the use of pipes and said that now the entire system will be like the one constructed at Teen Talwar, Clifton. A wide drain will be constructed along every road.

Addressing officials of the Municipal and Services department, Kamal said that the first experiment with a storm water drainage system in Clifton has proved a success during these rains and in future it will be replicated. The problem with pipes is that they get blocked with plastic bags.

They have stopped laying pipes at Nagan Chowrangi and now the area will have drains instead. There should be no need to declare emergencies or take emergency measures during rains in future. app

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...008_pg12_5