KARACHI: Despite having bus rapid transit (BRT) system since December 2021, hundreds of thousands of people in Karachi are still deprived of availing the full benefit of the multi-billion rupee service because of non-execution of a planned merger of two major lines — Green and Orange.

The delay has kept around over a million Karachiites away from enjoying an economical and comfortable travelling service, it emerged on Thursday.

Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister retired Justice Maqbool Baqar termed the situation ‘not satisfactory’ when he was informed about the progress during a meeting held at CM House to review different projects of the Transport & Mass Transit Department.

It came out during the meeting that the potential of the BRT system could not be exploited to the full depriving a large number of Karachiites of an economical public transport facility.

Proposed integration will increase Orange Line’s ridership from 3,000 to 25,000 per day, meeting told

A statement issued after the meeting said that the meeting participants were told about Green Line BRT project which was made operational in December 2021. The 20.9-km BRT project currently serves with 80 buses operating on its dedicated route with an average ridership of 55,000 people per day.

“The CM said that its ridership in terms of buses and the length of the project was not satisfactory,” said the statement.

At this point, the statement said, the CM was told that when the other BRTs such as Yellow Line and another feeder would start operating, the ridership of the BRT Green Line would increase to 150,000 to 200,000 daily.

While the launch, completion and execution of three other planned Red, Yellow and Blue BRTs remain a distant dream, the situation also doesn’t look promising with the two already available projects, Green and Orange.

“The CM was informed that the BRT Orange Line was 3.8km with 20 buses on the main track,” said the statement.

“Its ridership has been recorded at 3,000 per day. The merger between the Green and Orange line could increase the number of passenger from 3,000 to 25,000 per day. The CM directed the transport department to integrate the Orange Line with the Green Line to increase its ridership.”

KCR project

The meeting, which was attended by chairman of planning and development Shakil Mangnejo, principal secretary to chief minister Hassan Naqvi, secretary of transport Asad Zamin, and officers of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority, also discussed the KCR project.

The secretary of transport, Mr Zamin, while briefing the meeting said that a feasibility of the project had been completed and it would be a primary mass transit corridor to improve the mass transportation system.

“The financing agency of the KCR would be CPEC and implementation, execution and operation would be carried out by Karachi Urban Transport Company [KUTC],” said the statement citing discussion at the meeting.

“The CM was told that the KCR was discussed in the 10th Joint Working Group (JWG) forum in September between Pakistan and a Chinese delegation to finalise the updated feasibility study submitted to the China Railway Authority. The Chinese Delegation responded positively and assured necessary approvals in a timely manner.”

He was told the federal government had asked the Sindh government to update/revise the KCR Framework Agreement.

Justice Baqar directed the transport department to finalise the framework agreement within the next three days and report to him.

He said he would talk to the federal government to issue a Sovereign Guarantee against the loan to be provided for the project.

Published in Dawn, October 6th, 2023