07 August 2004	Saturday	20 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

LAHORE, Aug 6: The City District Government will have to face a tough competition in the presence of the private sector while attracting transporters to its new bus stand opening on the Bund Road on Oct 1.

Attracting the required number of transporters for ensuring a maximum utilization of the new bus stand nearing completion at Sikandria Colony on the Bund Road can be a problem for the government because of existence of nearly a dozen private bus stands in the vicinity.

Proposals to attract transporters to the CDG bus stand, being developed on 27 kanals at a cost of Rs20 million, were discussed at a meeting here on Friday. District Coordination Officer Khalid Sultan presided over the meeting.

The DCO was informed that the rate of the fee to be charged for operating buses from the new bus stand would be the key factor for attracting transporters to the new bus stand with facilities for operation of 300 buses daily for meeting the income target of Rs10 million.

He was informed that the CDG was charging a fee equal to a bus fare (from one commuter) at its Badami Bagh General Bus Stand. Private bus stand owners on the Bund Road were charging four single fares.

The District Nazim wanted charging of fee equal to 10 per cent of the fare of a bus calculated in accordance with the seating capacity whereas they proposed charging of two single fares. It was decided that the proposals would be forwarded to the Nazim to take a final decision.

The DCO was informed that the structures of all the bus stand buildings had been completed. The Bund Road fire station located in front of the bus stand site has been demolished and rebuilt near the Darul Aman building. The new bus stand has airconditioned waiting hall and restaurant for 300 passengers. It has covered spaces for the buses for picking commuters.

The district officer (passenger and freight transit terminal) was of the view that the CDG was not likely to face any problem in attracting transporters to the new bus stand. He said he had already received applications for operation of 250 buses daily.