The most awaited flagship project of PTI led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government BRT project in Peshawar is all set to be launched this week. Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the project on 13th August.
The total cost of the Bus Rapid Transit is Rs 70 billion and it contains 27.5 km track. The project consists of 31 stations and the length of the feeder route is 62 km and in total 146 stops. Three commercial plazas are already under construction and would be completed in June 2021.
At the start of the project the BRT was estimated at Rs 49.43 billion but due to enhancement in PC-1 the cost increased to Rs 66.43 billion and later on it jumps to Rs 70 billion.
KP govt distributing Peshawar BRT Zu Cards free to the public
Around 60,000 traveling cards have been sold out less than four days and Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) handed over the station and route to Trans Peshawar who finalized the setting up of the Intelligence Ticking System (ITS).
To complete the flagship project provincial government obtained a loan of $593 while the remaining amount was managed by the KPK government.
The estimated civil work cost of the Peshawar BRT for 27 km track, station, depots and ITS has increased from Rs 32,863 million to Rs 52,446 million.
Spending on parking plazas and corridor services also increased from Rs 95 million to Rs 320 million. Asian Development Bank financial charges, supervision charges and ad spending also escalate from Rs 493 million to Rs 1,156 million.
Purchasing and dismantling of the old buses cost also increases as it rises from Rs 1,068 million to Rs 1, 120 million. Rs 1,553 was reserved for PIU-Trans Peshawar and KPUMA but later on, the spending was reduced from Rs 800 million, same with the case of gas, telephone, and power facilities it was reduced to Rs 1,500 million from Rs 1,680.
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On purchasing of new buses, the amount has seen a reduction as Rs 7,875 million was initially allocated but decreased to Rs 7,475 million.
The Director General of PDA Zafar Ali Shah expressed to a news agency that the cost of the project increased to Rs 70 billion due to enhancement in the scope of work. He also expressed that the project is ready and operational.
As per Trans Peshawar Chief Executive Officer Fayyaz Khan, 220 buses for BRT have already reached in the city.
“92 buses of 18 meters will run on the main route while 128 small buses will run on seven feeder routes,” he said. “A private company has won the contract to run the operation and the trial and testing has already been going on for the last one month. Routes and stations are also being monitored by 750 cameras.”
According to officials, around 300,000 commuters will benefit from BRT on a daily basis.
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