CNG bus project to be launched in Sindh soon: 500 CNG buses for city in 1st phase

[ameer219]

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

CNG bus project to be launched in Sindh soon: 500 CNG buses for city in 1st phase

KARACHI: The Sindh government would soon launch the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto CNG Bus Project based on public-private partnership for the improvement of the transport system in Sindh, and initially 500 CNG buses out of the planned 4,000 would be introduced in Karachi.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah announced this while presiding over a meeting regarding transport facilities in the province held at the Chief Minister’s House on Wednesday.

Shah said the project was aimed at bringing an environment friendly transport system on the desire of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

According to an official handout, the chief minister directed to initiate the project from Karachi and later extend it to other parts of the province.

Earlier, Karachi Mass Transit Cell Director General Malik Zaheerul Islam in his briefing said that the Planning Commission of Pakistan had allocated Rs 5 billion for the project based on a detailed study sponsored by the government, and its modalities were being worked out by a steering committee after consultative meetings with all stakeholders.

He added that in its meeting on July 16, 2008, the federal cabinet had endorsed the project and extended some additional favours to the operators for ten major cities namely Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Hyderabad, Gujranwala and Sukkur.

He said that a total of 4,000 CNG buses would be operated within the next five years and in the first phase, 500 buses would be introduced in Karachi. Islam added that the repayment period for the buses would be five years while the federal government would provide a subsidy of Rs 6,77,181 over the five-year period on the cost of each bus. Besides, an amount of Rs 300,000 would be provided as a part of down payment and Rs 3,77,181 as interest subsidy payable in five years and the buses would be exempted from the import duty of 15 percent, he further added.

The meeting was informed that the total investment in the project was about Rs 21 billion including the federal government’s subsidy of Rs 2.5 billion and about 20,000 direct and several indirect job opportunities would be generated through it. Moreover, the environment would also benefit from cleaner exhaust fumes and reduced noise pollution.

About four million passengers would enjoy safe, comfortable and efficient public transport facilities at an affordable fare with the induction of these buses. staff report

 

[Martian]

i had heard similar news 8-10 yeas back. these are only for public consumption. No progress on such matters will be made unless there is some incentive (commission) for policy makers and implementers (politicians/bureacrates) etc. further there are so many mafias/cartels (transporters) to render such projects useless e.g. Varan bus service in rwp/isb.

 

[VrSoLdIeRs]

i cant understand on one hand we are having 'CNG-load-shedding' in rwp n isb and on the other hand we are injecting another 500 buses in karachi

time for the iran0pak pipeline!!!

 

[Justin Joseph]

Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan

CNG bus project to be launched in Sindh soon: 500 CNG buses for city in 1st phase

KARACHI: The Sindh government would soon launch the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto CNG Bus Project based on public-private partnership for the improvement of the transport system in Sindh, and initially 500 CNG buses out of the planned 4,000 would be introduced in Karachi.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah announced this while presiding over a meeting regarding transport facilities in the province held at the Chief Minister’s House on Wednesday.

Shah said the project was aimed at bringing an environment friendly transport system on the desire of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

According to an official handout, the chief minister directed to initiate the project from Karachi and later extend it to other parts of the province.

Earlier, Karachi Mass Transit Cell Director General Malik Zaheerul Islam in his briefing said that the Planning Commission of Pakistan had allocated Rs 5 billion for the project based on a detailed study sponsored by the government, and its modalities were being worked out by a steering committee after consultative meetings with all stakeholders.

He added that in its meeting on July 16, 2008, the federal cabinet had endorsed the project and extended some additional favours to the operators for ten major cities namely Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Hyderabad, Gujranwala and Sukkur.

He said that a total of 4,000 CNG buses would be operated within the next five years and in the first phase, 500 buses would be introduced in Karachi. Islam added that the repayment period for the buses would be five years while the federal government would provide a subsidy of Rs 6,77,181 over the five-year period on the cost of each bus. Besides, an amount of Rs 300,000 would be provided as a part of down payment and Rs 3,77,181 as interest subsidy payable in five years and the buses would be exempted from the import duty of 15 percent, he further added.

The meeting was informed that the total investment in the project was about Rs 21 billion including the federal government’s subsidy of Rs 2.5 billion and about 20,000 direct and several indirect job opportunities would be generated through it. Moreover, the environment would also benefit from cleaner exhaust fumes and reduced noise pollution.

About four million passengers would enjoy safe, comfortable and efficient public transport facilities at an affordable fare with the induction of these buses. staff report

What is the cost per bus??

Are these low floor high capacity buses??

 

[Asian.Century]

The CNG bus project that has to be inaugurated until September 2, today, is still waiting for the green light, however, the government is well aware that people are compelled to travel on the rooftops of buses putting their lives at risk and traffic on roads is also getting more thicker/congested with every passing day.

The assertions made by the Sindh government regarding mass transit system and improved transportation to Karachites on immediate basis seem to be no more than empty talks. One wonders that what are the priorities of the government or what is balking them to implement the plans for the better interest of public.

CNG Buses Project Director Ghulam Rasool has gone on official leave. When several questions were asked by PPI, he replied that neither of them saying he was asked to keep mum and not to provide any kind of information to the media.

Many other officers of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) – Senior Director Municipal Services Masood Alam, Chief Fire Officer Ahteshamuddin and many others – who are adamant not to give any information to media putting question mark on their performance, he added.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah had directed the management of KMC on August 21 to bring the fleet of 36 CNG buses on road by September 2. Before this, he had once more vowed on June 12 that CNG buses would hit the road by the end of June. Presiding over a meeting regarding intra-city bus project at the CM House, Shah said that reconditioning of the buses was in the final stages and that their reintroduction would be followed by intensive efforts to introduce a mass transit system in the city.

Chief Secretary Sajjad Salim Hotiyana had said on June 18 that CNG buses would soon be on roads. He had also ordered the concerned officials to ensure strict vigilance and maintenance of the buses which were stationed at the bus depot of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation in Surjani Town. At that time it seemed that nothing was going to stop the project to facilitate the citizens.

After that, Karachi Administrator Rauf Akhter Farooqui had confirmed on June 28 that the buses would be on roads in a week or two maximum.

The govt has spent Rs 40 million for re-conditioning of the KMC CNG buses which were off road due to deterioration condition since long.

Karachi is the largest city and the economic, financial and industrial hub of the country. However, there is still no proper mass transit system and the much promised projects of bus rapid transit system are simply on paper.

Now, KMC press release has informed that the inauguration ceremony to be held on September under KMC had been postponed and the ceremony would be held at Chief Minister House on September 5 where Qaim Ali would inaugurate the 35 CNG buses that would ply the route from Tower to Quaidabad.

 

[My-Analogous]

The CNG bus project that has to be inaugurated until September 2, today, is still waiting for the green light, however, the government is well aware that people are compelled to travel on the rooftops of buses putting their lives at risk and traffic on roads is also getting more thicker/congested with every passing day.

The assertions made by the Sindh government regarding mass transit system and improved transportation to Karachites on immediate basis seem to be no more than empty talks. One wonders that what are the priorities of the government or what is balking them to implement the plans for the better interest of public.

CNG Buses Project Director Ghulam Rasool has gone on official leave. When several questions were asked by PPI, he replied that neither of them saying he was asked to keep mum and not to provide any kind of information to the media.

Many other officers of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) – Senior Director Municipal Services Masood Alam, Chief Fire Officer Ahteshamuddin and many others – who are adamant not to give any information to media putting question mark on their performance, he added.

Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah had directed the management of KMC on August 21 to bring the fleet of 36 CNG buses on road by September 2. Before this, he had once more vowed on June 12 that CNG buses would hit the road by the end of June. Presiding over a meeting regarding intra-city bus project at the CM House, Shah said that reconditioning of the buses was in the final stages and that their reintroduction would be followed by intensive efforts to introduce a mass transit system in the city.

Chief Secretary Sajjad Salim Hotiyana had said on June 18 that CNG buses would soon be on roads. He had also ordered the concerned officials to ensure strict vigilance and maintenance of the buses which were stationed at the bus depot of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation in Surjani Town. At that time it seemed that nothing was going to stop the project to facilitate the citizens.

After that, Karachi Administrator Rauf Akhter Farooqui had confirmed on June 28 that the buses would be on roads in a week or two maximum.

The govt has spent Rs 40 million for re-conditioning of the KMC CNG buses which were off road due to deterioration condition since long.

Karachi is the largest city and the economic, financial and industrial hub of the country. However, there is still no proper mass transit system and the much promised projects of bus rapid transit system are simply on paper.

Now, KMC press release has informed that the inauguration ceremony to be held on September under KMC had been postponed and the ceremony would be held at Chief Minister House on September 5 where Qaim Ali would inaugurate the 35 CNG buses that would ply the route from Tower to Quaidabad.

When it will start 2nd September 20XX or 2XXX?