KP to expand BRT service to more areas in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to expand the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service to more areas in response to increasing public demand and requirements.

More buses would be added to the BRT fleet, with new routes covering Ring Road, Bara Road, and Khyber Road.Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur decided while chairing a meeting on Wednesday, said a handout.

The meeting was attended by provincial cabinet members Rangez Ahmed, Sohail Afridi and relevant officials.It was decided that 72 additional diesel-hybrid buses would be procured to address the increasing passenger load on BRT. A six-month deadline was set for the purchase of these buses and the completion of civil works required for new routes.

The progress of under-construction BRT commercial plazas was also reviewed. The officials informed that the Mall of Hayatabad and the under-construction plaza in Dabgari would be completed by April this year. Important decisions were also made to tackle traffic congestion in Peshawar. It was decided that in the priority, work would be initiated on the construction of the missing link of Ring Road, with full funding allocated to ensure its timely completion.

Seven new underpasses will be constructed at various locations on Ring Road and University Road to improve traffic flow, and the concerned authorities have been directed to complete the feasibility studies for these underpasses within two months. It was decided to remove all obstacles disrupting traffic flow on University Road within one month and to construct a direct road link between the Industrial Estate and the Northern Bypass in the next Annual Development Programme.

The chief minister stated that the BRT service would be improved for the convenience of the public.It was decided to introduce BRT-style bus services in the divisional headquarters of the province. Initially, a feasibility study will be conducted for four cities: Mardan, Swat, Abbottabad and Dera Ismail Khan.