CM terms BRT flagship project of PTI govt

PESHAWAR: Terming the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) a flagship project of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led Khyber Pakh- tunkhwa government, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Thursday claimed that it was the only mega project in the country that would be completed within a short span of time and minimum expenditure.

“The total expenditure of the BRT construction and other expenses including purchase of buses, land, commercial plazas, drainage system, foot-path and expansion of road has been made public, while the governments in Punjab and Islamabad had shown only the financial expenditure of the construction of Metro Services with that trick Punjab government had concealed the total expenditure of the projects,” the chief minister told the provincial cabinet here.

The relevant officers gave detail briefing to the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak. The chief minister said that in real terms only 30 billion rupees were being spent on the construction of BRT; however, other expenditure on the purchase of buses, land, commercial plazas, drainage system, foot-path and roads increased the total allocation of this project.

Provincial Ministers, additional chief secretary, administrative secretaries and other relevant officials also attended the meeting. The cabinet was informed that in the interest of public, few amendments have been made in the BRT project. After these amendments, flyovers at Tehkal, Gulbahar, Firdous Chowk and Airport had been included in the project.

The cabinet was assured that all the debris from the construction sides will be removed and roads on both the sides of BRT would be developed into model arrangements by April 30, 2018.

This will help for the smooth sailing of traffic because all obstacles would be removed by April 30. The cabinet was further informed that in order to redress the traffic problem on permanent basis, the 20-year plan was prepared in 2013 with the financial assistance of ADB.

About 27-kilometer long road of this project is being completed with its designed approved by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The chief minister directed that the completion of Ring Road from Warsak to Hayatabad should be completed with expeditious manner. With the completion of this project, traffic rush would be reduced on the main highways of Peshawar to a greater extent, briefing further added.

The chief minister further directed to meet road requirements; further projects should be planned on the pattern of Ring Road. The chief minister warned that no negligence would be tolerated in the completion of BRT project.