Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Thursday morning visited and inspected the metro bus project from Peshawar Morr to New Islamabad Airport that has been a victim of delay for four years and directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to operationalise the bus service from April 16 while ordering an inquiry into the delay in launching the project, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Regarding the metro bus project, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was informed in the briefing that initially 15 buses were being provided for the project, and those buses would run from Saturday.

On the occasion, Shehbaz Sharif questioned why the project was delayed for so long? “There is no justification for postponing the metro project,” he said.

Shehbaz Sharif expressed dismay over the delay in materialization of the project, terming it a severe negligence as Rs16 billion had been spent over the mega project of public importance. He termed it unfair towards the general public whose tax money had been consumed, however the facility in return was being denied to them.

He directed the officials concerned to make TORs of the inquiry to assess reasons for delay that led to loss of national wealth.

The prime minister, while ordering an inquiry into the delay in the metro bus project, said that the projects of public interest should be completed as soon as possible. “There should also be a facility for passengers to place their luggage in the metro bus,” he ordered.

The prime minister, at 7 am, visited the Peshawar More metro bus station and reviewed the on-ground progress of the project. He also ordered to carry out feasibility study as per PPRA (Public Procurement Regulatory Authority) rules for two additional routes, namely from Rawat and Bhara Kahu connecting the airport.

He directed to establish a metro bus station at motorway for better connectivity and to enhance the benefit of the service to maximum number of people.

The prime minister suggested ensuring installation of racks in the buses to accommodate the luggage of passengers en route the airport.  

He directed running free of cost service for trial period until the installation of ticketing machines.

Shehbaz Sharif after assuming his office on April 11 had ordered to make operational the Islamabad metro bus service within five days.

Pakistan Muslim League leaders Ahsan Iqbal, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Hanif Abbasi and Anjum Aqeel accompanied the prime minister during the visit.

The officials of National Highway Authority and CDA briefed the prime minister about the project.

It was highlighted that initially 30 buses would be run on the 24-kilometere-long track from Peshawar Morr to Islamabad International Airport. Fifteen buses will be taken from Punjab Mass Transit Authority, Rawalpindi till the new fleet is added to Islamabad metro service.

The prime minister was informed that CDA was temporarily operating on behalf of the government, while a separate Metro Bus Authority was required to be formulated.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a message on social networking site Twitter that the prime minister had directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to operate metro buses from Peshawar Road to Islamabad Airport from April 16. “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also ordered to operate metro buses from Bhara Kahu, Rawat to Peshawar Morr and make a feasibility report of motorway connection,” she added.

Marriyum Aurangzeb in another tweet said PM Shehbaz Sharif had given directives to run free-of-cost metro bus service during the month of Ramazan. She said the previous rulers were making the excuse of “foreign conspiracy” to cover up their incompetence and corruption.

https://twitter.com/Marriyum_A/status/1514443895379161089

A day earlier, Shehbaz Sharif had ordered immediate completion of important operational elements for the bus service to begin. He issued instructions to the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Ministry of Interior Affairs (MoIA), and National Highway Authority (NHA) in this regard.

In 2017, former PM Nawaz Sharif had inaugurated the project and set a deadline of 2018 for its completion. However, due to “operational difficulties” the project’s completion got delayed by about four years.

Earlier this month, CDA requested the aid of the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) for the timely procurement of 30 buses from China for the metro bus project.