WB renews support for Karachi’s public transport infrastructure

Sindh Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon held a meeting at his office on Thursday with the World Bank’s Senior Transport Specialist Lincoln Flor to discuss the Yellow Line bus rapid transit system.

After a detailed review of the PC-I and the PC-II of the project, both officials agreed on alternative proposals for the Yellow Line. They decided to hold more meetings and make the final decision in a week. Memon told the WB representative that in order to further optimise the Yellow Line project and make it economically viable, two alternative proposals have been prepared in addition to its PC-I.

“The alternative proposals have also been shared with the World Bank,” he said, adding that the provincial government is making serious efforts to upgrade the public transport system in the city.

He said that the Peoples Bus Service was launched recently on major common routes of the city with a cost of Rs8 billion, adding that the service is a successful model with a fleet of 250 hybrid diesel buses.

He also said that the Peoples Bus Service is being run in partnership with the National Radio Transmission Company, a federal government organisation. The bus service has gained immense popularity among the citizens in a short span of time, he added.

Memon said the Sindh government wants to launch the Yellow Line as another successful public transport model. He said the government has proposed reducing its infrastructure cost and increasing the bus fleet, besides minimising government costs in terms of annual subsidy.

The WB representative said Karachi is their priority, adding that the financial institution is committed to providing all possible support to the provincial government in developing the city’s public transport infrastructure.

The meeting was also attended by Transport Secretary Abdul Haleem Shaikh, senior government officer Zubair Channa, Sindh Mass Transit Authority Managing Director Altaf Sario, Yellow Line Project Director Fazal Ameer, and representatives of the National Engineering Services Pakistan and Dar Consultants.