That’s what the mega projects are about
Means of communication and transportation are universally regarded as essential ingredients of economic progress, social integration and indispensable tools of public facilitation. It is needless to emphasise that expansion in the communication network (building and improvement of roads) and provision of efficient means of transportation are one of the basic responsibilities of the governments in regards to accelerating the process of economic growth, keeping pace with the rapidly changing world, giving a touch of modernity to the communication infrastructure and improving the standard of services provided to the masses.
Therefore viewed in the backdrop of the foregoing, the knack of the PML-N government to build motorways, wider highways conforming to international standards, opting for building economic corridors, improvement of roads by building overhead bridges and underpasses and the provision of the most modern and efficient transportation systems in the big cities of the country — notwithstanding the cynical opprobrium directed at such projects — is indeed a visionary initiative. And the dividends of the projects completed and in hand are quite discernible to the public as well as people visiting these cities from other areas or from outside the country. Lahore has a completely changed architectural aura. The Metrobus project in Lahore, completed in record time and construction of more than 26km corridor for operating the most modern transport system, is undoubtedly a leap towards modernity and progress.
The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus system, a joint project of the Federal and Punjab government on 50:50 cost sharing basis (total cost Rs44 billion) which is nearing completion will soon become operational, is yet another undertaking of the similar nature. This initiative is very much a necessity-driven undertaking designed to ease the pressure of the burgeoning vehicular traffic on the only arterial link between the twin-cities and to avoid frequent traffic jams and above all saving the public from the hardships that they have to endure while travelling between the two cities at the hands of private transporters and the vagaries of the substandard service that they provide.
The population of the twin cities has almost doubled during the last five years and the trend is likely to continue unabated. It is estimated that more than 1.5 million people travel between the two cities on a daily basis and this number is likely to keep on increasing with the increase in population. Similarly the number of vehicles on the city roads has also doubled with the result that frequent traffic jams on Murree Road which passes through the most congested parts of Rawalpindi city, were a common sight with all its ill-effects on the environment and inconvenience to the travelling public and commuters trying to reach to their workplaces in Islamabad. The 22.6Km long corridor on which the metrobus would ply has been imaginatively conceived. The 8.6km section in Rawalpindi that runs through the length of the Murree Road up to Faizabad is an elevated road and is one of the architectural marvels and a symbol of modernity. The rest of the 14km section of the metrobus route is in Islamabad. The planners of the corridor have made sure that it passes through the areas, especially in Islamabad, which were not covered by the private transporters and where some of the colleges, universities and major hospitals were located. The route could very well have gone on along the Islamabad Highway onto the Jinnah Avenue and then straight onto Pakistan Secretariat. That would have reduced the distance as well as the cost. Bu the actual purpose of the project was not to facilitate only the commuters travelling to their work places in Islamabad or to make it convenient for the government servants to reach the Secretariat but also to facilitate the general public, the patients needing to reach hospitals without loss of time and the students travelling to and back from their educational institutions.
Apart from the foregoing benefits that the metro project would bestow on the citizens of the two cities, it would give a big boost to their economies through the creation of hundreds of jobs for running the system efficiently. The project planned with due consideration for environmental issues would address issues relating to air pollution, safety of the pedestrians, reduction in the crimes related to travelling by privately operated transport system and reduction in traffic accidents. It might also nudge private investments in different businesses along the route of the corridor. The tourists coming to the twin cities would also be attracted to travel by this efficient system of transportation that would provide them a good opportunity of sight-seeing in both the cities besides having a feel of the cultural life of the area.
As is evident, the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus project is a multipurpose venture stemming from the commitment of the Federal and Punjab governments in regards to public facilitation and improvement in the architectural profile of the twin cities. The cynicism shown by certain circles regarding the utility of the project is absolutely unjustified and ostensibly driven by their impulsive propensity to denigrate anything associated with the government. In a democratic setup, the opposition and the general public has the right and liberty to criticise the government provided the flak is constructive, logical and is designed to promote public welfare and well being, which is actually the duty of the government as well as the opposition. But in our country the political parties unfortunately are not mindful of their role in a democratic dispensation and duty towards the public.
Those who are skeptical about the projects designed to improve road networks and transports system need to look at the contribution that such projects have made in the development of some of the nations, particularly the Asian giants like Japan and Malaysia. Quality roads ensuring unhindered flow of traffic and efficient, comfortable and cheap means of transportation are indispensable variables in nudging economic progress and social integration besides other multifarious benefits. Metrobus projects initiated by the PML-N government in Punjab and Centre are, therefore, agents of qualitative change in the lives of the citizens impregnated with myriad of economic and social gains. The big cities of the country surely need more undertakings like this and the government efforts in this regard must be supported and appreciated to say the least. Journey towards modernity and public facilitation must continue uninterrupted and let up.
