Islamabad: CDA shelves Rapid Mass-Transit and CNG bus service projects

[Naveed Yaseen]

Financial crisis, lack of skilled staff

CDA shelves RMTS, CNG bus service projects

* Official says civic agency has set aside plans to improve traffic and public transport system
* Traffic and transport problems will aggravate

By Fazal Sher

ISLAMABAD: The traffic and transport problems in the federal capital are likely to aggravate, as the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has shelved its Rapid Mass Transit System (RMTS) and CNG bus service projects.

Keeping in view the traffic problems, the CDA had planned to launch RMTS and CNG bus service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, but due to financial crisis and lack of skilled staff the authority has shelved these projects. “Current traffic problems would further increase, as the CDA has set aside its plans to improve traffic system in the city, a senior official of the civic agency told Daily Times on Friday.

He said last year the authority had planned to launch CNG bus service through a joint venture with a private company. In the first phase the company had to ply 50 buses and later on increase their number to 300, he said. The official said the CDA had also signed an agreement with a private company in this regard.

He said the CDA had also made a plan to launch RMTS between Rawalpindi and Islamabad. According to the plan, the CDA had hired a consultant to conduct feasibility study of the project, but he did not start work due security reasons and refused to carry out the study, he said, adding, the CDA failed to hire another consultant to conduct the study, he said.

He said Islamabad, being the federal capital and centre of economic and services activities, is attracting traffic from all over the country. Since Rawalpindi and Islamabad are twin cities, an increased commuting takes place between the two cities, he added. So far the relevant authorities have failed to introduce an organised transport system due which people rely on the minibuses, he said, adding, the service of these buses is far below than an acceptable standard.

He said the twin cities were growing at a rate of more than four percent per annum, comparatively higher than national growth indicating significant increase in migration to these cities. Present population of Islamabad alone is 1.2 million, he said, adding that currently both the cities accommodated a population of over 2.78 million.

It is learnt that approximately 1,800 passenger vans are plying on Saddar, Pak Secretariat, Peshawar Mor, Karachi Company, Faisal Mosque, Adiala Jail and Pirwadhai routes of the twin cities, but they are unable to cope with the ever increasing heavy rush of passengers.

The officials said due to negligence of the authorities the vans plying on these route were mostly overloaded creating suffocation, especially during the rush hours in the morning and afternoon when people and students have to dash to their destinations. “Due to shortage of vans the public transporters not only indulge in overloading but also did not complete their routes creating problems for commuters on daily basis,” he said.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg11_1