High quality transit system: Karachi craving execution of Rs 26 billion BRTS project

While the Punjab government successfully launched a metro bus service with an investment of Rs 29.8 billion, Karachi is waiting for six rapid bus lines costing just Rs 26 billion. Despite the completion of studies, the Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS), a high quality bus based transit system that "delivers fast, comfortable, and cost-effective urban mobility", still remained unimplemented.
"At a cost less than the Lahore Metro Bus System (MBS), Karachi can have at least six BRTS lines," sources maintained. The six BRTS lines would have a cuimulative length of 91.3 kilometres, claimed a feasibility study completed by Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) last year.
The six bus lines included Yellow, Green, Red, Orange, Purple and Aqua Lines with estimated route lengths of 20.4km, 21.1km, 24.4km, 3.9km, 9.7km and 11.8km, respectively. The Punjab government launched the project with as many as 45 modern buses plying a 27-kilometre-long dedicated corridor between Gajjumata and Shahdara on Monday.
JICA, while making Karachi Transport Master Plan 2030, suggested making twin metro system lines and six BRTS lines, in addition to revitalising the Karachi Circular Railway. JICA also prepared a feasibility study for two BRTS lines (Green line plying between Surjani Town and Jama Cloth Market and Red line between Model Colony and Regal Chowk via Safoora Goth and University Road) and pre-facility of blue line between Sohrab Goth and Mereweather Tower.
The Sindh government and KMC announced to start BRTS 'yellow line' as a Pilot Project in the city. According to KMC, this line will run between Dawood Chowrangi and Numaish Chowrangi and Lucky Star via 8000 Road in Korangi and FTC under a public-private partnership. It is expected to cater 700,000 people per day. The proposed BRTS would cater 13,000 passengers per hour per direction.
Although the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently expressed interest in the Karachi BRTS, no positive development had so far occurred. In 2008, the ADB had deffered its $223 million investment program because of a lack of co-ordination between the city government (now KMC) and the Sindh government.
ADB had earlier deffered another investment program citing the following reasons: 1) No consensus within the government to proceed with the program, 2) Despite the lapse of four years, there were continuous problems of government approvals, 3) Major changes in focus, scope and direction of the program, 4) In July 2008, the program was re-configured with new implementation arrangements, 5) approval of PC-1 for land and other status could not be achieved and 6) there was no agreement on the scope of the program.