RAWALPINDI: Metro Bus Implementation Committee Chairman Hanif Abassi told Dawn, on Wednesday, that the Jinnah Avenue from D-Chowk to Centaurus would be opened for general traffic on March 28.

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) also warned contractors to complete construction work on metro bus project by April 5 otherwise they would be penalised.

The RDA also decided to close Murree Road to general traffic to complete repair work. Murree Road will be closed from Double Road to Faizabad and from Double Road to 6th Road for three days, starting at midnight on Wednesday (March 25) to Sunday (March 29).

The decisions were made during a meeting held to review progress on the metro bus project. Commissioner Zahid Saeed, Metro Bus Project Implementation Committee Chairman Hanif Abbasi, contractors and Nespak representatives attended the meeting.

A senior official privy to the meeting told Dawn that the contractor who procured glass for the bus stations from abroad, refused to give material until the completion of frames at the bus station.

The contractors made the request for Murree Road to be closed to traffic to facilitate repair work. The RDA agreed with the contractors’ request and decided to close Murree road.

He said the commissioner sought assurance from the National Logistics Cell (NLC), one of the contractors, that it would complete the work by March 31.

After the meeting, Metro Bus Implementation Committee Chairman Hanif Abbasi told Dawn that any contractor failing to complete the work by April 5 will be liable to pay a fine.

He said the bus drivers would begin trail of buses from Rawalpindi to Islamabad from March 28 and Jinnah Avenue from D-Chowk to Centaurus would also be opened for general traffic on the same day.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2015

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