ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is all set to start new public transport routes to facilitate commuters travelling from one part of the city to others.

This was stated by CDA Chairman Amir Ali Ahmed while addressing at the final day of the Research for Social Transformation and Advancement (RASTA) conference organized by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE), here on Thursday.

The conference is aimed at showcasing the research projects done under the banner of RASTA which is the largest social sciences research program in Pakistan, funded by the government of Pakistan.

The purpose of RASTA is to build research and knowledge networks in Pakistan, find local solutions for local problems, promote indigenous research, and bridge the research-policy gap.

The CDA chairman said that traffic congestion in cities like Islamabad is caused by the fundamental problems in the design of the cities, which are designed for cars instead of people. He said that the traffic problems in Islamabad are exacerbated by the horizontal rather than vertical expansion of the city. He said that due to the design of the city, it is not feasible for the private sector to provide mass transport for the public.

The CDA chief apprised that is initiating important projects to ease the traffic problems faced by the public at large. He said that new bus routes will be initiated which will connect different parts of the city with the centre of the city. He also mentioned the construction of a parking plaza in the Blue Area, which will ease the parking problem in the business hub of the capital city.

The chairman said that the people also need to change their mindset.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022