ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to operate buses on six of the federal capital’s busiest routes.

Member Administration Amir Ali Ahmed said the authority is “very serious” about the public welfare project, and is going to take up the matter during its board meeting on Wednesday.

He said file work on the project is nearly complete, and following approval from the board, CDA will move to advertise in order to engage private bus operators.

New bus service project will be taken up in today’s board meeting

Last year, the civic authority’s management had announced the launch of the aforementioned transport facility on four routes: a bus service from Bhara Kahu to Marghazar Zoo - via Dhokri, Aabpara, Polyclinic and F-6, from Rawat to the Faisal Mosque, from Tarnol to Fatima Jinnah (F-9) Park and from the GT Road near the Railway Carriage Factory to the I.J. Principal Road metro station.

The buses on these routes act as feeder buses for metro bus routes, and will also serve to augment the overall traffic facilities in Islamabad.

Now, two more routes have been proposed: one from Nilor Chowk to Koral Chowk, and another from Lehtrar Chowk to Aabpara.

According to a CDA official, the CDA’s relevant transport wing’s summary stated that around 50 buses and Rs220 million will be required as a subsidy for the project per year. The official said a significant portion of the subsidy will be covered by advertisements on over 140 bus stops on the six routes.

The official said the buses will run on existing roads, but there will be a separate lane for them at all intersections. He said a private firm will be engaged to begin the project through a competitive process, while the CDA will provide the subsidy and patronage.

Islamabad, a city of over 20 million people, has – other than the metro bus – no adequate public transport facility. Successive CDA managements have promised to launch public transport systems, but have never succeeded in executing the project.

In 2014, the current management approved a Quality Bus Service project and then shelved it. It will now take up the Islamabad Bus Service project in Wednesday’s meeting.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2016