The PTI led coalition government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has introduced a bill in the provincial assembly for the establishment of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Urban Mobility Authority and empower it for the purpose of planning, regulation and management of modern and sustainable mass transit and complementary urban mobility system in the province.
Soon after the commencement of the Act, the provincial government will go for establishing a corporate body to be known as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Urban Mobility Authority. The authority will exercise such powers and perform such functions as may be assigned to it by the provincial government, from time to time, for the establishment of and regulation of mass transit system.
The authority may exercise the jurisdiction over public transport vehicle and route permits within the area of responsibility; develop urban transport policies, prepare road map for a period of five years, plans, strategies, documentation of investment projects in sufficient detail into declared project status for the approval of provincial government, arrange studies, surveys, experiments and technical research, financially and environmentally sustainable urban transport plans with respect to mass transit system and ancillary matters to be made or undertaken and contribute towards the cost of such studies, surveys, experiments or technical research made or undertaken by another agency, authority, private body or department as the case may be.
The authority to be established under the Act may have sole jurisdiction in relation to public transport vehicles, motor vehicles and authorized vehicles which are allowed to be operated in the mass transit area, its route permits and matters ancillary thereto. The authority will be empowered to exercise all or any of the functions of the Provincial Transport Authority or the Regional Transport Authority, as the case may be, as specified in the Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965 (No XIX of 1965) within the mass transit area.
The authority will work in co-ordination with the relevant departments of provincial and federal governments or with the relevant constituent bodies, as the case may be, where it is necessary to achieve its objectives and where its actions and decisions, pursuant to this Act will have an impact on them. Where a mass transit plan, strategy, roadmap or project in whole or in part, falls within the jurisdiction of another government agency or body or local governments, as the case may be, to the extent that such agency or body will not unreasonably impede or hinder such mass transit plan, strategy, roadmap or project.
In the event of any dispute, arises between the authority and the relevant department or a constituent body or local government, such dispute will be referred to the Chief Secretary for resolution and the decision so passed by the Chief Secretary, in this regard will be final.
Under the Act, the management and operation of the authority will be carried out under the supervision of a 14-member Board of Director with Chief Minister as Chairman and Provincial Minister for Transport and Mass Transit, as Co-Chairman.
The members will be included Additional Chief Secretary (Planning & Development Department), Secretary Local Government, Secretary Transport and Mass Transit, Secretary Finance, Cantonment Executive Officer, DIG (Traffic Police), three MPAs, three eminent persons, technical expert while the Managing Director will perform as member-cum secretary of the board.
The Managing Director will be the chief executive officer (CEO) as well as the Principal Accounting Officer of the authority, who will be appointed for a the period of three years and will be eligible for re-appointment for another term of three years or for a shorter term.
The Managing Director will attend all meetings of the Board of Directors and will be answerable to the board for strategic and policy deliverables.
The authority or the Urban Transport Company, in consultation with the authority, may prohibit or restrict either permanently or temporarily the taking of any class of vehicles or animals or the movement of pedestrians over mass transit area. The authority will ensure the establishment of currency in perpetuity of a proper system of internal control, consisting of such policies and procedures to be adopted by it, to assist in achieving the objectives of the Act and for ensuring, as far as practicable, the orderly and efficient conduct of its activities, including adherence to the policies, the safeguarding of assets, the prevention and detection of fraud and error, the accuracy and completeness of the accounting records and the timely preparation of reliable financial and operational information.
The authority will formulate a mass transit plan including at least the existing and projected population and land use; projected traffic counts; passenger transport demand; transport vehicle permits and route network; recommended solutions for traffic management, public passenger transport modes; non-motorised transport modes; international co-ordination; outline business case for the priority recommendations and project implementation and management arrangements.
Under the Act, the provincial government will also establish one or more Urban Transport Companies to implement, manage and maintained declared projects assigned to it by the authority and if the Urban Transport Company is unable to fulfil its responsibilities, under this Act, the government may withdraw the assignment for the declared projects and transfer it to another company.
The Urban Transport Company will specify operation, enforcement and maintenance of the notified assignment, plan, build and maintain infrastructures for the mass transit system and related services in accordance with the specifications and conditions of the relevant declared project and procure and manage public transport services on mass transit area, as may be specified in the declared project.
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