Citizens continue to suffer commuting woes with no sign of Metro Bus Project’s completion till 30th
Despite claims by former National Assembly member (MNA) Hanif Abbasi and Rawalpindi commissioner, the Metro Bus Project between Rawalpindi and Islamabad is lagging behind schedule and is not expected to be completed by January 30, the last date given to the contractors.
A survey of the entire project site gives a clear impression to the people that progress of work is somewhat satisfactory between Saddar and Marrir but the package-two in Rawalpindi is nowhere to give a semblance of timely completion between Committee Chowk and Naz Cinema. Package-3 which was ahead of others since the beginning of the project is now moving at a snail’s pace.
While the work is very slow apparently due to shortage of manpower, the electronic elevators/escalators imported at a huge cost of tens of millions of rupees have been left under the open sky.
In the Islamabad section too, work is very slow. The heavy iron made structure is being installed for the last several months for bus stops and installation of elevators and escalators but the contractors appear to be lacking clear instructions from the consultants.
Work on Faisal Avenue is so slow that the girders have not yet been placed along with the existing bridge causing immense problems for the commuters. The commuters do not get the idea on which direction to move and thus face either admonishment from the traffic police or they are fined. Instead of facilitating the movement of traffic, the police officers on duty keep standing on road side and whenever they see any violation, the vehicle drivers are immediately stopped and fined.
The government is making advance payment to the contractors but is not imposing fine on them for not meeting the targets. The project was to be completed on December 31 but its completion date was extended till January 30 under the pretext that the machinery and material could not be moved due to sit-ins by anti-government protestors. It is yet to be seen what justification the administrators and the contractors would give for further delay but in the meantime the citizens are suffering.
People who travel on the route affected by Metro Bus Project are regularly seen grumbling that it would not be completed before August 14, when the government would inaugurate it coinciding with the Independence Day celebrations and the contractors would also charge the government on the ground of escalation in construction cost.
