After successful project of Metro Bus in Lahore, Punjab government is ready to start Metro Bus Service in Twins City of Pakistan Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The project will reduce the travelling cost that will help poor and middle class people to save their reserves that can be use for other productive sources. The authorities have successfully arranged the test run of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus, however the project is not completed by contractor within the promised time period. CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif is monitoring the process of development and construction of Infrastructure.
Cheap Source of Transportation:
Residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have to pay a large portion of their income for transportation, i.e. a cab service from Rawalpindi Sadar to Blue Area Islamabad cost for about 500 rupees, which is much expensive especially for poor and lower class people. Now anyone traveling via Metro Bus has to pay only 20 rupees. This is increase the purchasing power of common man as people can use their money for other services.
Delay in Project:
Rawalpindi Islamabad Metro Bus is a project of 45 million, however the project engineers failed to fulfill the commitment regarding the completion of project. The delay in project is said to be due to appointments of inexperienced persons with no flyover construction experience. The Chief Engineer Saeed Akhter is said to be promoted from Grade 18 to 20 within a period of 5 months by neglecting senior officials, while director engineering was promoted from Grade 17 to 19. Further the 4 assistant engineers have also been marked with no flyover construction experience.
Supplements to Metro Bus Project:
To assist the Metro Bus Rawalpindi and Islamabad Project and passengers, construction and development of functional elements include concourse level passenger transfer, ticket booths, platform screen doors turnstiles to collect automatic fare from passengers, escalators and other supporting one.
Metro Bus Rawalpindi Stations:
The Rawalpindi Section includes the following points or stations:
- Saddar
- Marrir Chowk
- Liaqat Bagh
- Committee Chowk
- Waris Khan
- Hospital
- Rehmanabad
- 6th Road
- Shamsabad
- Faizabad
The Islamabad Section includes the following points or stations:
- IJP Road
- Pothohar Road
- Khayaban-e-Johar
- Faiz Ahmed Faiz Road
- Kashmir Highway
- Chamman Road
- Ibn-e-Sina Road
- Katchehri Station
- Centaurus
- Saudi Pak Tower
- 7th Avenue
- Shaheed-e-Millat Road
- Parade Road
- Secretariat
Here are the benefits of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Project:
- Cheap source of transportation for local residents of Twins City
- Attract Business Investment
- Promote Tourism by providing safe source of transportation
- Cut in crime rate due to secure transportation
- Reduce in accidents
- Improvement in public transportation source
Settlement of displaced persons:
During the month of August 2014, RDA (Rawalpindi Development Authority) started to pay the settlement charges to the affectees by the project’s development. On the other CDA (Capital Development Authority) distributed settlement payments to Islamabad Section affectees.