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 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 this 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 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 has 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 the Sindh government had invested a huge amount on the repair and reconditioning of KMC buses.
These buses were supposed to be on road before Eidul Fitr but due to slackness of officers and due to little bottlenecks/excuses, it could not happen, he added.
He directed the officers to bring the buses on roads by September 2 positively and also expedite the working for early implementation on Karachi mass transit programme.
He also directed that any cell or part of a government department, or organisation which was not performing up to satisfaction should be disbanded. He said the PPP was the party of poor people to whom it was committed to providing at least all basic but qualitative facilities.
The CM said the Sindh government was going to launch Yellow Line Bus Service at an estimated cost of Rs 12 billion with the 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 directed the ACS (P&D) to provide substitute projects with the consultation of federal government so that this matter could be decided once for all.
The CM 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 this project for the foreign investors as many foreign investors were taking keen interest in investing in Karachi.
While briefing the meeting, Secretary Transport Tauha Ahmed Farooqui 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 would be evaluated and completed within two or three months. Besides, working on intercity project has also matured and soon the management would be able to launch the project.
He gave an assurance to the CM that working on Orange Line Bus Service which was proposed to run from Orangi Town to the Matric Board Office will be completed within shortest time so that available amount of Rs 3 billion could be utilised and the people of Karachi be facilitated.
