RAWALPINDI: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif will visit the garrison city in next two days to inspect the work on metro bus project and give a final date for the launch of the service.

Commissioner Zahid Saeed told Dawn that metro bus project was in final stages, but the date for its inauguration will be given by the Punjab chief minister.

He said contractors had been asked to start handing over the bus stations to Punjab Metro Bus Authority so that it could start the installation of security gadgets including CCTV cameras and make the elevators and escalators operational.

He said Saddar, Marrir Chowk, Liaquat Bagh, Chandani Chowk bus stations in Rawalpindi and 14 in Islamabad had been completed.

The commissioner said that the construction work on Faizabad and Pakistan Secretariat of the metro bus project was likely to complete by May 8 to May 10.

He said that the contractors of all the three packages of Rawalpindi section had also been asked to complete work on footpaths and medians on Murree Road.

Meanwhile, the work on the bridge over Leh Nullah on Murree Road near Moti Mehal will complete after the inauguration of bus service.

A senior official of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) told Dawn that the authority had asked the contactor to complete the work before the start of monsoon season.

During this season the water level increases in the nullah and it would be difficult for the contractor to continue the construction work, he said.

However, Commissioner Zahid Saeed told Dawn that the construction work on one side of Moti Mehal bridge had been completed and the construction of the other part of the bridge would take at least two months.

He said the work on the bridge would continue even after the inauguration of the metro bus service, but the completed part of the bridge would soon be opened to the general traffic.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2015

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