Minister reiterates claim to inaugurate BRT on March 23

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Shaukat Yousafzai on Wednesday reiterated the provincial government s claim that the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project would be inaugurated on March 23 as the construction works on 27-kilometre road and bridges would be completed this week.

Talking to reporters outside the provincial assembly hall, he said about 20 buses would ply the newly constructed road from Chamkani to Hayatabad on trial basis on the Pakistan Day. The minister claimed that the Peshawar BRT had cost less amount compared to the Lahore Metro Service built some 10 years ago.

Shaukat Yusufzai said that about Rs10.50 billion had been estimated for three commercial plazas to be built in Chamkani, Dabgari and Hayatabad while Rs8 billion had been allocated for feeder routes of the BRT.

He added that Rs11.40 billion had been spent on three-lane roads on both sides of the BRT and about Rs1 billion had estimated to purchase the old and out-dated passenger vehicles already running in the city.

However, the provincial minister said that the IT work on the BRT was yet to be completed while finishing work on some of the bus stations would be completed after its inauguration. He also admitted that due to some changes in its designs and construction, the work on the project was delayed and also caused some hardship for the local people but claimed that it would be a precious gift by the PTI government for the whole province.