International Development Association (IDA) - an organ of World Bank (WB) will share 80 percent cost of Yellow Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in Karachi, which would be developed at the total cost of Rs 65.698 billion. According to Concept Clearance Proposal of the project, Sindh Government would share 20 percent share of the cost of the project. In dollar terms, total cost of the project stands at $496 million, in which IDP would put in $400 million and provincial government to contribute $96 million.
The concept paper, however, indicated that the financing proportions of the project may vary at the PC-I and PC-II stages. Yellow Line Project, which is part of Karachi Urban Mobility Project will be developed and completed in four to five years, the concept paper stated.
The concept paper envisages construction of Yellow Line BRT Corridor 22km long starting at Dawood Chowrangi in the east near Landhi and running through Korangi industrial area, ending in Numaish intersection in the centre of Karachi.
The Project Development objective is to improve mobility, accessibility and safety along the Yellow line BRT corridor in Karachi. The project scope will be comprised of four components namely (a) Urban Corridor Road infrastructure (b) Development and Operationalisation of a BRT System (c) Traffic management and Road Safety (d) Capacity Building and Technical Assistance.
As part of the study for Karachi Transportation Improvement Project known as J1CA Master Plan of 2012, a Karachi Urban Transport Master Plan (KUTMP 2030) was developed.
KUTMP has identified priority mass transit project that Karachi needs to undertake to overcome the looming urban mobility crisis. It proposed two metro Rail Transit (MRT) Lines (Blue, Brown, Yellow and Silver), and five BRT Lines (Green, Red, Orange, Purple and Aqua). KUTMP prioritized the implementation of the KCR and the Green, Orange, Red, Blue and Yellow Lines. It is estimated that more than 400,000 people will be benefited from this project, particularly people living and working along the Korangi industrial area. The project will improve the safe and secure accessibility of women and people with limited mobility to jobs and other economic activities.
The project will also focus on climate change adaptation and mitigation measures and other environmental benefits by shifting road users from polluting transport modes (e.g. old, poorly maintained buses and motorcycles) to lower carbon modes (e.g. cleaner BRT buses and non-motorized transport, and by providing resilient transport infrastructure and increasing the capacity of authorities to deal with disaster situations.
The concept paper envisages that implementation of the project will help in reductions in travel time, particularly for public transport passengers, improvement in public transport quality of service, increase women rider-ship in public transport; reductions in road traffic fatalities; accessibility improvements for jobs and housing and reduction in hazardous emissions.
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