Mass Transit Transportation System: CDA seeks JICA help for assessment survey

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has sought the help of Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) for conducting a survey to assess the possibilities of launching Mass Transit Transportation System in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Business Recorder learnt on Wednesday.
The proposal was reviewed at a high-level meeting chaired by CDA Chairman Kamran Lashari and attended by the authority's member engineering, member administration and member planning, besides other senior officials of the CDA.
The meeting discussed in detail the proposal on how to improve the transport system of the twin cities.
However, the CDA chairman has constituted a committee to prepare a brief summary for JICA to conduct comprehensive survey for plying modern/environmental-friendly buses so that the people would get modern transportation facilities.
The committee has been asked to complete all the essential paperwork within 10 days.
Kamran Lashari also told the CDA member planning and engineering that before drafting the pre-feasibility or pre-survey report, the size of buses/coaches must be considered keeping in view the width of the federal capital roads, it was learnt.
Once the project is fully materialised, the government employees, women, particularly school children, would be largely benefited through initiation of bus service.
The civic authority will invite the private firms or consortium of reputed transporters to undertake such project, sources said.
The proposed system would not be much more different than the existing Varan Transportation, the sources said, adding that route permits would be issued on non-franchise basis.
The CDA chairman during the meeting reviewed the growing traffic jam on city roads and environment pollution owing to outdated and smoke emitting vehicles, the sources said, adding that new service would be environment-friendly and there would be no question of environmental pollution.
Meanwhile, Islamabad Transport Authority (ITA) will launch a new bus service in the federal capital to introduce CNG-fitted vehicles imported from China on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
About 25 CNG-fitted buses would run on two routes within the territorial limits of Islamabad from February 4. The routes are 104 (Tarnol to Pak Secretariat) and 113 (Pir Wedhai to Pak Secretariat).
The bus service would not be a franchise service and other transporters would also be allowed to ply their vehicles on these routes.
The fares of CNG buses would be equal to the fares being charged by other transporters on these routes.