ISLAMABAD: While work is underway to complete the metro bus project as soon as possible, there is no legislation or a regulatory authority to operate the metro bus in the capital.

According to officials of the capital administration, before the Lahore Metro Bus became operational in 2012, legislation was passed by the Punjab Assembly known as the Punjab Metro Bus Authority Act 2012.

Through this act, a Punjab metro bus authority was constituted to deal with matters related to the metro bus such as determining the fare and dealing with trespassers and free riders etc. The law is applicable in any part of Punjab but not in the capital so new legislation would be required for the project to be operated in the capital.

The officials said the Islamabad chief commissioner had sent a summary to the law ministry for the drafting of legislation to constitute a metro bus regulatory authority for the capital. The ministry is yet to send a response.

According to the officials, without drafting and passing this legislation, it would be difficult for the project to be operational in the capital. “There is a separate designated track for metro buses. If this track is used by other vehicles, it would be considered trespassing and the Punjab Metro Bus Authority is mandated to take action against trespassers. However, since no such body exists in the capital, action cannot be taken against trespassers,” an official in the capital administration said.

In Islamabad, the metro bus project covers a 14 kilometre long track and has 14 stops. Following legislation, this area would come under the jurisdiction of the metro bus authority.

Metro Bus Implementation Committee Chairman Hanif Abbasi confirmed that legislation would be required to constitute the metro bus authority in Islamabad. He said a summary had been sent to the concerned ministry for legislation.

In response to a question, he said that either new legislation would be drafted by the assembly or the chief commissioner would adopt the legislation made for Punjab under a presidential order.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2015

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