KARACHI, March 30: City Nazim Niamatullah Khan has ordered that the inter-city bus terminus, being set up at Yousuf Goth on the RCD Highway for Balochistan-bound buses, must be completed by May 31.
Reviewing the pace of work on the terminus at a meeting, held at the project site, the nazim asked the officials concerned to remove all hurdles, including encroachments, in order to meet the deadline.
He said that with the construction of this terminus on RCD Highway, all the illegal bus stands from where Balochistan-bound buses were being operated would be moved out of the city.
He said that that the Balochistan-bound bus stands set up illegally at Lea Market, main University Road, old sabzi mandi, M. A. Jinnah Road, Taj Complex and Cantonment Station, not only created hindrance in the flow of traffic on these major thoroughfares, but had also become a source of nuisance for the people residing around these stands.
Apart from the bus terminus on RCD Highway, another two inter-city bus termini, one each on National Highway and Super Highway, for Punjab- and interior Sindh-bound buses have been planned by the city government. For the purpose, a piece of land measuring 10 acres has been earmarked on National Highway and another one of 45 acres on Super Highway.
The nazim directed the officials concerned to expedite the process of constructing the two termini so that all the unauthorized bus stands in the city could be moved out of the city as soon as possible.
He also impressed upon the officials to take effective measures towards protecting the land, earmarked for the new termini, from land-grabbers.
Briefing the nazim about the pace of work on the 10-acre terminus on RCD Highway, EDO Works and Services Sarfraz Ali Shah said that construction work was being carried out on 7.3-acre area of the site because the rest of the land had been encroached upon. Efforts were being made to remove the encroachments, he added.
EDO Transport Dr Tahir Soomro informed the nazim that the bus terminus would have a parking capacity sufficient for 100 buses. Besides, he said, it would have the facilities like rest room for drivers, waiting room for passengers, toilets, cafeteria, post office, telephone booth, etc.
The meeting was attended, among others, by DO Public Transport and Operation Management Mohammad Athar, MPA Maulana Umar Sadiq, City Nazim’s Coordinator for Transport Mohammad Tufail, Transport Committee Chairman Hafiz Ahmed Ali and nazims of Baldia, Lyari and Gulshan towns.
