RAWALPINDI: Despite the passage of three months, the Punjab caretaker government has failed to repair the 6th Road Metro Bus Station that was burnt down by protesters on May 9 following the arrest of PTI chief Imran Khan.

A senior official of the district administration told Dawn that Rs140 million was the estimated cost of the repair work, including escalators, ticketing machine and security cameras. The caretaker government refused to provide the funds to Mass Transit Authority for the repair work and asked the authority to use its own funds.

Due to a non-functional station, the passengers from 6th Road have to go to Rehmanabad Bus Station or Shamsabad Bus Station to avail the bus service, creating problems for residents.

Nasir Mughal at Rehmanabad Bus Station said that it was incomprehensible that the metro bus station was suspended for the last three months”. He said that the government should do the repair work to facilitate commuters.

Rs140m required for repair works after station was burnt down in May 9 riots

Saleem Ahmed, who was waiting to pick his sister up at the Shamsabad station, said due to the suspension of the service at 6th Road Station, his family had to use the Shamsabad Bus Station which created problems for them. The passengers demanded that the Punjab government conduct an inquiry into the matter that why the authority failed to repair the work despite the passage of three months.

‘Rs140m required’

When contacted, Syed Ozair Shah, General Manager of Punjab Masstransit Authority, said that the estimates of damages had been completed and Rs140 million would be spent on the repair work.

“In the initial survey, PMA found that the elevator, escalator, cables and ticket stations and bus station at 6th Road were damaged severely and in the initial estimate we require Rs140 million. However, we fear that the fire also damaged the pillars and structure of the elevated road,” he said. He said that the Mass Transit Authority was working to get the bus station repaired as soon as possible.

He said that Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) had been contacted to help the authority in the repair work and in this regard, a letter for assistance was also sent to the RDA. He said that the Metro Bus Service Project was executed by RDA and it had all the drawings of the bus station so its help was necessary for the repair works.

He added that NESPAK was also consulted to examine the bus station structure to ascertain if it was safe after the fire.

When approached, RDA Director General Saif Anwar Jappa said that RDA received the letter from PMA and “we would check from our engineering branch whether it could help the PMA”.

“As we have already handed over the bus stations and all the property to PMA and it was the responsibility of PMA to do the repair work. We will provide assistance to give them data or drawings,” he said.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha and Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema and PML-N leader Hanif Abbasi visited the metro Bus service. They travelled from Faizabad to Saddar.

The commissioner directed to make 6th Road Metro Bus Station functional as soon as possible. On this occasion, the commissioner said that it was “our responsibility to improve the travel facilities” for the people. “Metro bus service is the best travel facility for the public,” he said. He also directed the Metro Bus Service Management to make all the escalators of the Metro Bus functional.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2023