ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet was informed on Tuesday that infrastructure work on the metro bus track from Peshawar Mor to Islamabad International Airport (IIA) has been completed and the project is ready to be handed over to Capital Development Authority (CDA).

National Highway Authority (NHA) Chairman retired Capt Sikander Qayyum briefed the cabinet about the project.

The NHA is the executing agency of the project to construct the 25.6-km-long track. The project was launched in January 2017 and it was initially supposed to be completed in August 2018 but saw an inordinate delay.

“The cabinet was apprised about Metro Bus Project, Islamabad. Chairman NHA informed that infrastructure work has been completed and the project is ready to be handed over to CDA. Minister for Interior was tasked by the Cabinet to present a road-map for handing-over of the project from NHA to CDA and operationalisation plan in next meeting,” said a press release issued by the government after the cabinet meeting.

Interior minister asked to present road map for handing over project from NHA to CDA

Meanwhile, the cabinet also approved appointment of the chief metropolitan officer as the administrator Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) as local government in the capital is going to complete its five-year tenure on February 15. The administrator will look after affairs of MCI for six months or till the holding of local government elections whichever is earlier.

Last month, the CDA through an official letter had requested NHA to get the remaining work on the metro track completed before handing it over to the civic agency.

The CDA in a letter dated Jan 8 informed the NHA: “A site visit was carried out by the undersigned on 7th of Jan to check if the project is complete so as to communicate the authority to organise inspection committee for taking over the project from NHA.”

The letter had added: “It can be seen that a lot of work is still required to be undertaken by the contractors before NHA can take over the project and then hand over the same to CDA for further utilisation.”

The letter also said before handing over the project to CDA it [NHA] will have to ensure providing following details: “A taking over certificate (with the construction contractor), tender drawings (original) as built drawings, report of NHA inspection committee, final bill of quantities, change made in the design with reasons, shortcoming in the project vis-à-vis metro bus operations, list of inventories - assets procured against the project etc.”

However, the NHA chairman, according to the official press release told the cabinet that the infrastructure work was completed and the project ready to be handed over to CDA.

The cabinet asked Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed to present a road-map for handing over of the project from NHA to CDA and an operationalisation plan in the next meeting.

CDA officials told Dawn that the NHA should first take over the project and then hand it over to CDA.

After taking over the project, the CDA will operate buses on the track. Last year, the civic agency also got a PC-1 worth Rs1.9 billion approved for procuring 30 buses and set up ticketing, command and control system on the track.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2021