Pakistan likely to get $50m to launch eco-friendly bus service

Islamabad: As a result of the efforts made by the climate change ministry Pakistan is likely to receive funds worth 50 million dollar to launch a Green Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) network to run buses on bio-methane that would greatly help reduce air pollution from the port city of Karachi.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Malik Amin Aslam has said the project to be funded by International Green Climate Fund would help prevent about 50,000 tonnes of cow manure entering the ocean daily by converting it into energy and fertilizer at a biogas plant.

According to the draft proposal prepared by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the project includes restructuring of the public transport network, and a fleet scrapping programme and compensation mechanism.

It will shift passengers towards public and non-motorized transport and implement a BRT system powered completely by bio-methane. The project will have a direct Green House Gas (GHG) reduction impact of 2.6 MtCO2e over 30 years.

“The project will produce its own biogas from cattle waste available within the larger urban zone of Karachi sufficient to cover 100 percent of the methane demand from BRT buses,” it said.

It revealed that the 28 km main corridor would be restructured over its entire width including (i) the BRT infrastructure comprising 25 stations and dedicated lanes built at-grade in the median; (ii) the mixed-traffic roadway comprising up to six lanes in each direction in wider sections; (iii) the non-motorized transport infrastructure comprising bicycle lanes and improved sidewalks along the corridor; and (iv) on-street parking and green areas added in various locations.

The specially built buses will have cylinders to carry the gas on the rooftop. Similar buses are also part of the public transport system in Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Turkey and India. Malik Amin Aslam said the project would save 245,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year; 4.9 million tons of CO2 emissions over a 20-year period; 38 per cent of emission savings due to the BRT project and 62 percent due to the waste-to-fuel biogas project.