A Bus Rapid Transit Project for Islamabad, Pakistan Pre-Feasibility Study
Posted on February 12, 2013
Category: Transportation, Mobility and Logistics.
Location: Islamabad, Pakistan.
Project Duration: 20132016.
Total Investment: USD 80 million.
BRT Project presentation
The CDA (Capital Development Authority) wants to launch a public Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system for the city of Islamabad by the middle of 2014. This would cover: 26.6 km of bus lanes on five individual routes, 37 stations, 6 terminals, one park and ride facility, 48 buses and supporting infrastructure, and the managerial and software systems needed to successfully implement, operate and manage such a system. Islamabad is urbanising rapidly, emphasising the condineed for a high quality public transport system. The government hopes that a BRT will be able to quell the number of private vehicles and thus reduce GHG emissions. Moreover, the city hopes to harness the economic opportunities created by the successful implementation of the BRT Project. Islamabad is a planned city and is eminently suitable for the establishment of a world class BRT system. Social surveys confirm widespread dissatisfaction (>90%) with existing public transport services and high levels of support for improved, higher quality services. Passenger demand was estimated at 40,000 daily commuters and which would increase substantially, if it could be linked with the twin city of Rawalpindi.
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Published February 8, 2013 at 710 × 556 in A Bus Rapid Transit Project for Islamabad, Pakistan Pre-Feasibility Study
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No new lane proposed for the BRT Islamabad.
 Stations to be developed in the central median.
 The BRT service is expected to reduce 20% of the vehicle from the Roads
 There will be further reduction of CO2 emission through improved
vehicular specifications.
PHASE-1
BRT route network length 26.6 Km.
 37 Stations spread across the network (Avg. distance 0.76 Km).
 1 Park & Ride station strategically located .
 Preliminary Capital Cost in the region of Rs 7,500 M (US$-79M).
 Preliminary annual Operating Costs in the region of Rs.365M.
 A fleet of 48 Buses operating on 5 routes across the network.
 Possible future extension into Rawalpindi City.
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And now....
Issues with Punjab Government
The prefeasibility study was only carried out for Islamabad as the Punjab government had refused to become part of the project. The expectation was that connecting the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad would make the project more profitable.
However, the new BRT cell has been asked to contact the Punjab Transport secretary and other relevant groups in an effort to include Rawalpindi in the project.
BRT project: CDA attributes funding delays to Cabinet Divisions intervention.
ISLAMABAD:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has informed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) that it will be delaying the release of funds allocated for a city-based project because of imminent elections in the country.
In its latest correspondence with the CDA last week, the ADB had stated that funding for a detailed feasibility study of the Rs7.5 billion Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project for Islamabad would be held back until after a smooth transition of power to the new elected government.
The ADB said funds had also been stalled because the fiscal year 2012-13 had ended.
The letter, made available to The Express Tribune, confirmed that US$250,000 of the total cost of US$800,000 for the project would be released by the end of June this year.
The ADB which has indicated its willingness to provide a loan of up to 80 per cent of the projects total cost completed a pre-feasibility study in November 2012. The project was deemed feasible within the existing road infrastructure. The study estimated that 42,000 commuters travelled within Islamabad daily and suggested that 48 multi-fuel buses be inducted in the first phase of the project, running across five different routes.
A senior CDA officer blamed the delay on the Cabinet Divisions unnecessary meddling in the civic bodys affairs.
The Cabinet Division in February had objected to the CDAs decision to conduct the study, arguing that the CDA Ordinance 1960 did not permit projects that were run on a joint venture basis.
The objection was raised at a time when the CDA was in the process of establishing a BRT Cell in its premises based on conditions outlined by the ADB.
The ADB had actually conducted the pre-feasibility study at no charge to the CDA, and had planned to do the same for the detailed study.
It took the civic body around two months to inform the Cabinet Division that the ordinance did not prohibit joint ventures with private firms.
A CDA board member termed the Cabinet Divisions intervention as premature and a deliberate attempt to disrupt the project at its primary stage.
It is the sole reason why the ADB has had to delay the projects funding till fiscal year 2013-14, said the official.
CDA Planning and Design Member Mustafain Kazmi said the ADB had approved the required funds for the detailed feasibility study, which would be released at the start of the coming fiscal year.
The CDA Board has already approved the project following pre-feasibility study which was deemed as successful, said Kazmi, who is also overseeing the BRT Cells affairs.
He said the ADB had suggested the implementation of a five-year and 10-year financial plan.
However, he said the decision as to whether the project would be initiated on a self-financing or joint-venture basis would be taken after the detailed study has been completed.
Aren't we already moving at a snail's pace?
