Construction work on Peshawar BRT to start soon: CM Khattak

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister (CM) Pervez Khattak said on Wednesday that construction work on the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project will start on the 20th of this month, and directed the officials concerned to finalise all preparations to ensure timely completion of the project.

CM Khattak said this while presiding over a high-level meeting to discuss various time lines for the construction and completion of BRT, its technical and financial evaluation, risk mitigation, the Asian Development Bank (ADP) loaning process, release of resources, and awarding of contract to various contractors who had qualified for the three packages under the project at the CM Secretariat.

Advisor to Chief Minister for Transport Malik Shah Muhammad Wazir, Member of Provincial Assembly Shaukat Yousafzai, Chief Secretary Muhammad Azam Khan, administrative secretaries, Strategic Support Unit Head Sahibzada Saeed, representatives of ADP and Peshawar Development Authority director general also attended.

The meeting also focused on other issues regarding the project, including traffic diversion plan, construction of additional stops and flyovers, time lines for the construction of buildings, legal requirements, role of different executing agencies, the resettlement of displaced people, release of mobilisation advance to affected parties, procurement of buses, hiring of operators/operating company, along with covering other important aspects of the project.

During the meeting, three presentations were given to the participants that included the award of contract of road packages, updates on building package, selection of construction supervision consultant, revised land acquisition and resettlement plan, procurement of bus fleet for BRT and BRT operational plan/business model.

Another presentation focused on the cost of reach one, two and three along with the eastern bus depot that were divided into Rs 142 million, Rs 3.445 million, Rs 1.0087 million, Rs 1065.88 million respectively. The last presentation focused on operational design starting from the main terminal Chamkani to Phase-V Chowk Hayatabad.

The CM approved the execution plan for the timely completion of BRT, and said that it was a mega project that would resolve all traffic problems in the entire Peshawar city.

Furthermore, Khattak said that his government would follow the guidelines of ADB, according to which the implementation process should be quick so that there was no cost escalation to ensure that the project could be completed in the allocated time period. In addition, Khattak said that the ADB had already taken the responsibility for selecting contractors (both technical and financial) to complete the project in time, adding that the government had already released the required financial support for the project.

The CM directed the officials concerned that lethargic attitude from officers regarding the completion of this project would be dealt with in a strict manner since billions of rupees invested in the project could go to waste due to constant delays.