Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has directed the management of KMC to bring the fleet of 36 buses on road by September 2. The Sindh CM has also asked the provincial Transport Department to complete all codal formalities of yellow line bus service by December 1, so that this project could be made functional by the end of 2015 under PPP mode of investment.
He directed while presiding over a meeting regarding implementation of mass Transit Programme at CM House, said a statement on Friday. He also directed the management to expedite the working on intercity bus project to connect at least all the divisional head quarters to Karachi by plying 100 buses at initial stage of this project.
The CM Sindh directed the planning and development department to get the PC-I of Green Bus Line completed and submitted to federal government within one month time, so that Transport facilities should be ensured to the people of Karachi within shortest possible time. He directed the management to take Orange Line Bus Service in hand with immediate effect for which Rs 3 billion had been projected in the current budget.
Expressing his dismay over concerned officers of KMC for not bringing the KMC buses on road as announced earlier, the CM Sindh said Sindh Government had invested a huge amount on the repair and reconditioning of KMC buses. Those buses were supposed to be on road before Eid-ul-Fitr but due to slackness of officers and due to little bottlenecks/ excuses, all the technically prepared/ fit buses were standing on one hand while the people of Karachi were facing transport difficulties on the other hand, he added. He directed the officers to bring the buses on road by September 2, 2014 positively, and also expedite the working for early implementation on Karachi mass transit programme.
He also warned that any cell or part of a government department, or organisation which was not performing up to satisfaction should be disbanded. He said PPP was the party of poor people to whom it was committed to provide at least all basic but qualitative facilities. The CM Sindh said that in addition to Green Bus Line of Federal Government, Sindh Government was going to launch Yellow Line bus service at an estimated cost of Rs 12 billion with PPP mode of investment and directed the officers to complete its codal formalities and ensure its ground breaking ceremony by December 1, 2014 so that it could be completed by the end of 2015.
The CM Sindh directed the ACS (P&D) that in addition to working for implementation on the KCR project, substitute projects should also be proposed with the consultation of federal government so that this matter could be decided once for all. The CM Sindh expressed his satisfaction over the proposed intercity bus project under which 358 buses would be plied on nine identified bus routes in the city to facilitate at least 385,000 commuters per day.
He directed the officers to showcase the project for the foreign investors as many foreign investors were taking keen interest in investing in Karachi. Secretary Transport Tauha Ahmed Farooqui, while briefing the meeting, said that Nespak consultants had been assigned to prepare the PC-I of Green Line Bus Services and it was almost ready and was to be submitted to P&D within 8 to 10 days for onward transmission to the federal government.
Similarly, the technical proposals submitted by 11 interested investment companies for implementation on Yellow Line Bus Service have been opened on August 21, and same were being evaluated. This whole process including financial bids from interested companies be evaluated and completed within two to three months. Besides, working on intercity project has also matured and very soon the management will be able to launch the project.
He gave an assurance to the Sindh CM that working on Orange Line bus service which was proposed to run from Orangi Town to the Matric Board Office would be completed within shortest time so that available amount of Rs 3 billion could be utilised and the people of Karachi be facilitated.
Sindh Minister for Transport Mumtaz Jakhrani, Advisor to CM Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Sindh Sajjad Saleem Hotiyana, Additional Chief Secretary (P&D) Mohammad Wasim, Secretary to CM Alumdin Bulo, Secretary Transport Tauha Ahmed Farooqui, Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput, Commissioner Karachi Shoaib Siddiqui, Administrator KMC Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, Director Karachi Mass Transit Cell Fazal Karim Khatri and other officers attended the meeting.