Resolution of problems facing Red Line bus project a top priority: CM

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday said the problems being faced in the construction of the Rapid Bus Transit (BRT) Red Line project in Karachi would be resolved on a top priority basis so the work on the mass transit project that started last month could be completed in time.

The CM said this while presiding over a meeting with the Asian Development Bank’s technical delegation led by Gia Heeyong. The delegation told the CM that establishing a depot and reserving land for the installation of a biogas plant at Cattle Colony for generating renewable fuel was important for the bus service. The CM said 32-acre land had already been reserved for the plant but its title had to be changed for which he had issued necessary directives.

Talking about the depot for the Red Line buses, Shah said the land reserved for the purpose would be vacated soon. He urged the ADB team to assist and support the integration of Red Line BRT with other BRTs, including Green Line, Orange Line and Yellow Line, and the delegation agreed to support the provincial government.

Sharjeel Memon

Sindh Information and Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also held a meeting with the ADB and Agence Francaise De Development (AFD) delegations regarding the Red Line project.

The minister assured the Sindh government’s full support and cooperation in completing the mass transit project in 24-month time. The issues being faced in the construction of the Red Line project and its completion within the stipulated time were discussed in detail in the meeting. On the suggestion of Memon, all the officials agreed to hold zoom meetings on a weekly basis to review the progress of the development work.

On behalf of the Sindh government, the transport minister assured the delegation of all possible assistance in completing the project and said that there would be no delays from their side. “My entire team and contractors will work on the project day and night.”

Memon told the ADB delegation that he had given one-month time to the Sindh Mass Transit Authority to make the Orange Line BRT operational and complete the project by May 30. The provincial minister said that the Red Line BRT was a biogas project and they wanted it to be successful so that it could be replicated in Hyderabad and other major cities of the province.

He assured that the process of land transfer for the Red Line BRT Depot would be expedited, adding that he would personally look into the transfer of 32-acres of land for a biogas plant for the project.

Memon suggested that the process of procuring buses for the project should be expedited so that buses would be available as soon as the infrastructure of the project was completed. ADB Senior Urban Development Specialist Transport Lloyed Wright briefed the minister that the Red Line project was environment friendly and entirely different from other BRTs.

CM meets diplomats

Earlier, the chief minister met the Ambassador of Norway Per Albert Ilsaas at the CM House and discussed the investment opportunities in the province.

A Norwegian company was already working in Sukkur and Khairpur to install solar power plants of 150 MW. The plant was supposed to be inaugurated next year. The CM invited Norwegian companies to come over and work with the provincial government on the development of the dairy industry. In another meeting, the CM discussed different projects in the health, education and transport sectors with Turkish Consul general Cemal Sangu at the CM House.