Metro Train Pact Today

[Chak Bamu]

Sindh and KPK can do that its not the ppp or any party to be blamed for everything. Actually these both provinces are not assigned the budget to initiate metro project in a single city Like Karachi which is gigantic. Furthermore these PMLN leaders are doing good and bad thing but badness has upperhand here as it is increasing our lease.

I do not think it is a matter of Federal govt assigning budget. Punjab govt started Metro Bus project without an iota of help or encouragement oe budget from Federal govt under PPP.

Turkey and China both support Punjab Govt because of various reasons. Chief among them is the ability to plan, execute, and deliver infrastructure projects. They would likely support development in rest of Pakistan provided they see similar commitment and administrative resources. Karachi wasted Mustafa Kamal, who had a track record of success. I do not see somee one like him in other provinces. Let us hope we get someone else from KPK or Sindh. As for Baluchistan, Federal govt will do a good bit to support Dr. Abdul Malik.

Sindh and KPK can do that its not the ppp or any party to be blamed for everything. Actually these both provinces are not assigned the budget to initiate metro project in a single city Like Karachi which is gigantic. Furthermore these PMLN leaders are doing good and bad thing but badness has upperhand here as it is increasing our lease.

I do not think it is a matter of Federal govt assigning budget. Punjab govt started Metro Bus project without an iota of help or encouragement oe budget from Federal govt under PPP.

Turkey and China both support Punjab Govt because of various reasons. Chief among them is the ability to plan, execute, and deliver infrastructure projects. They would likely support development in rest of Pakistan provided they see similar commitment and administrative resources. Karachi wasted Mustafa Kamal, who had a track record of success. I do not see somee one like him in other provinces. Let us hope we get someone else from KPK or Sindh. As for Baluchistan, Federal govt will do a good bit to support Dr. Abdul Malik.

 

[SBD-3]

to hell with you and your 18th amendment. What I know that Karachi is being neglected by both provincial and federal govts and people of Karachi are being abandoned by both to die and rot.

The big hurdle in investment of transportation infrastructure in Karachi is that you never know when your buses will be stopped by a mob or political activists and burned down. Can the political parties and people of Karachi assure an investor that his buses won't be burnt for petty political stunts.?

 

[Sugarcane]

Atleast they should fund the 23Billion PKR Metro bus system for peshawar from the federal budget.

The project will be financed from loans not budget. Every provincial govt. is free to attract investors.

IF this project will not be subsidized and will be able to payback loan installments at it's own than i see no problem in it. But giving subsidies to citizens of one city only from revenue of whole province is gross injustice.

 

[Secret Service]

Faisalabad deserves it before Multan as we are twice the size of Multan in population

there are no signs of any sort of development in Multan since PMlN takes power..

 

[SBD-3]

Sindh and KPK can do that its not the ppp or any party to be blamed for everything. Actually these both provinces are not assigned the budget to initiate metro project in a single city Like Karachi which is gigantic. Furthermore these PMLN leaders are doing good and bad thing but badness has upperhand here as it is increasing our lease.

Sindh government couldn't even improve Garhi Khudabax in its 5 years.....expecting them to deliver something huge for Karachi and interior is overblown.

 

[Shabaz Sharif]

The project will be financed from loans not budget. Every provincial govt. is free to attract investors.

IF this project will not be subsidized and will be able to payback loan installments at it's own than i see no problem in it. But giving subsidies to citizens of one city only from revenue of whole province is gross injustice.

This is start, after Lahore Metro Bus now other 5 big Punjab cities will get metro bus. Similar thing will happen here but its much more expensive with metro trains. Lahore GDP is much much bigger then any other city in Punjab, so its expected at first they will get these projects.

 

[Contrarian]

The project will be financed from loans not budget. Every provincial govt. is free to attract investors.

IF this project will not be subsidized and will be able to payback loan installments at it's own than i see no problem in it. But giving subsidies to citizens of one city only from revenue of whole province is gross injustice.

Do you have Capital cities of your provinces?

If you do, then the Capital city always gets the first right on a province's resources as it generates money faster in comparison to other cities. So the province gets it money back faster in the forms of taxes and other revenue.

 

[SBD-3]

there are no signs of any sort of development in Multan since PMlN takes power..

Multan's problem is that it competes with Sadiqabad, Bahawalpur and Rahimyar Khan for funding and apparently the first two make more hue and cry than Multanis..Politically Bahawalpur has replaced Multan as the capital of south Punjab.....btw DCO naseem sadiq has been doing a lot in Multan recently. I hope you know him, he was transferred there from Faisalabad and we still miss him.

 

[Dubious]

@Contrarian thank you for stating something that most others failed to pick up.

@Aether I appreciate your view. We agree that Metro is not a priority. But I would like to defend the decision making on following grounds:

1. As contrarian aptly pointed out that Metro train system costs much more than Metro Bus. Do you remember the noise made about wasting precious resources? Can you imagine how much more criticism would have been heaped on Punjab Govt had it been a Metro train project. Most of the people criticizing now would have criticized regardless. Their problem is that PTI did not win, not anything to do with actual merits.

2. Punjab gov was hard put to deliver BRT. From where would have they found money to build Metro train? Federal govt under PPP did everything in its power to crush Punjab's every initiative that required a guarantee from federal govt. Metro train system just could not be built. That is the honest truth.

3. Prior to building Metro Bus system we had Zero experience in establishing any such system. Nobody would have financed a project like China has now done. We gained a lot in design, construction, and running of Metro bus system. Our Turk brothers provided much needed expertise as free consultation and project management. Having a successful project under our belt gives confidence for successful implementation of future projects. We can not expect a deal like this to materialize out of thin air just because we should have planned it this way or that. Success begets success, failure begets failure.

4. Just to repeat, the Metro Bus system in place now could be converted to a Metro train system with minimum hassle a couple of decades later. By then it would have illustrated its utility and made millions of happy consumers.

@Akheilos Learn from Aether: similar points minus politics and cynicism.

Or more like targetting certain users which you have automatically labelled ... and automatic respect for others..You read in y post what you wished to read!

I once thought you were a balanced poster...but...I guess anyone in Politics can stoop as low as possible! Do me a favour and dont quote me again..

 

[Cheetah786]

So since these cities haven't voted for PML(N) so federal govt would left them to rot. Is this what you want to say?

Mass transit is the job of the city planners. who is running Karachi? go and ask them. no one is stopping them from starting these schemes.

 

[Sugarcane]

Meanwhile for people of Karachi with love from both Sindh and Federal govt....

Dear - You can't simply brush pathetic performance of Sindh govt. by blaming it on federal govt. - I am sure if Sindh gets competent chief minister than Karachi being mega city can attract way more investors than Lahore. You can see Punjab govt. trying to do something, KPK govt. is also trying to do something, you agree with projects of these governments or not is separate thing but you must acknowledge that they are up to something- What Sindh government is doing? i never heard Qaim Ali Shah & Zardari talking about development projects (other than bribery schemes like Income Support), Nor i am aware of any effort that they went somewhere to persuade Investors - but again persuasion for what, they don't have any plan other than loot - couple of energy projects initiated in Sindh are also with collaboration of federal government.

 

[B+ Dracula]

After Rwp-Isb metro will start in faisalabad then Multan and after that in Gujranwala

HUM BUDDAY HOO JAII GAY....PHIR KOI FAIDA NAII HOO GAAA

 

[Armstrong]

So since these cities haven't voted for PML(N) so federal govt would left them to rot. Is this what you want to say?

Huzoor-e-walaaa....the Provincial Governments are responsible for their Provinces !

Everything from the Law & Order situation in Karachi to the lack of Foreign Investment in Sindh is the responsibility of the Provincial Government of Sindh - Not the Federal Government !

And this, by the way, is a Project initiated by the Punjab Government not the Federal Government !

The only way I see for the Federal Government to interfere in the affairs of Karachi in particular and Sindh in general is through dismissing the Provincial Government and imposing Governor Raj therein - Do we really want that ?

Otherwise what do expect the Federal Government to do ? After months upon months of waiting the PM finally called the Provincial Government on the deteriorating law & order situation and if that doesn't jolt the Provincial Government what do you expect the Federal Government to do ?

Usurp their Rights ?

Tell them that because of their blatant failures they are no longer responsible for running the Province and the management is going to be taken over by the Federal Government ?

 

[Hyde]

I appreciate your view

Thank you

Metro train system costs much more than Metro Bus.

2. Punjab gov was hard put to deliver BRT. From where would have they found money to build Metro train?

Indeed it costs much more but there was no point investing in metro bus if you were to build the underground train after just 2 years. It would be more logical if metro train was being constructed after successful recovery of investment from the bus project and probably after 8-10 years. If we were supposed to have one mean of transport it should have been Metro train since day 1.

The problem I see is bit more technical and political, the original idea of Metro train was presented in 1990s but truly brought up by Chaudrhy Parvez Ellahi and pushed by Musharraf back in 2005-07. They had conducted all the feasibility work and estimates, The Government took over. They didn't want to carry the project any further as it would come with the name of PML-Q somewhere in the background even though not even a brick was laid so far. I remember when Governor rule was imposed and Salman Taseer took over, he resumed the original underground project citing reason he could not find a logical reason to cancel this project since the funds were also available and rightfully allocated for the said project. Later PML-N government was restored and the project cancelled once again.

Now if the same project was being brought back to the table, many years has passed and PML-N and solemnly claim all the rights and name that they revived a dead project back and fulfilled in record period once again, now that's a different thing that they were the ones who initially killed it.

3. Prior to building Metro Bus system we had Zero experience in establishing any such system. Nobody would have financed a project like China has now done.

Indeed we had zero experience but even India had zero experience when they started building their metro. We even invited some experts from India besides China who clearly pronounced it a very feasible project and we should not have faced many issues besides the lack of funds which could have been managed if we were to seriously take up the project and ask for funds form World Bank or IMF.

4. Just to repeat, the Metro Bus system in place now could be converted to a Metro train system with minimum hassle a couple of decades later. By then it would have illustrated its utility and made millions of happy consumers.

That is not possible. Metro bus is built on top of the bridges, the design is such that even DLR like system (or call it Monorail) is not feasible. The original project of Lahore Metro was a underground project with fair amount of percentage being under the ground and remaining on top of the ground.

 

[Armstrong]

Dear - You can't simply brush pathetic performance of Sindh govt. by blaming it on federal govt. - I am sure if Sindh gets competent chief minister than Karachi being mega city can attract way more investors than Lahore. You can see Punjab govt. trying to do something, KPK govt. is also trying to do something, you agree with projects of these governments or not is separate thing but you must acknowledge that they are up to something- What Sindh government is doing? i never heard Qaim Ali Shah & Zardari talking about development projects (other than bribery schemes like Income Support), Nor i am aware of any effort that they went somewhere to persuade Investors - but again persuasion for what, they don't have any plan other than loot - couple of energy projects initiated in Sindh are also with collaboration of federal government.

Sir aaap aiivaiiin tasub-zadaa Punjabi haiiin tabhii Sindh key bareii mein koiii achiii baaat nahin kar raheiii !