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Federal Government has released around one billion rupees for Islamabad Metro Bus extension project from Peshawar Morr to New Islamabad International Airport (IIA).
The money has been released under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2018-19.
The entire project was estimated to cost Rs16.46 billion to build. Until June 2018, planning ministry data shows that Rs6.46 billion have so far been spent on the project.
The government had planned to build the 25.6 Km extension of the metro bus to the new airport to facilitate travellers who otherwise complain of high cab fares between Rs.500 to Rs.1,200.
The project had been set in motion in January 2017 and was slated to be completed in August of that year to coincide with what was the original inauguration date for the IIA. However, as the inauguration date for the airport got pushed back, so did too the deadline to complete the metro bus extension — which did not see work on it begin until April 2017.
To ensure the timely completion, the project had been divided into four packages including package-I, an eight-kilometre-long stretch from Peshawar Mor to the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), package-II is a 3.8km-long stretch from NUST to the Grand Trunk (GT) Road. Package-III is an 8.3kim-long stretch from GT road to the Motorway interchange.
Package-IV is a 5.5km-long stretch from the motorway Interchange to the new airport.
The route will have nine bus stations including one at NHA station, one at Sector G-10, one at NUST, Sector G-13, GT Road, Badana Kalan, M-1-M2 Junction and at the airport.
The project comprises eight bridges, 14 underpasses and 28 culverts. The project would have seen the construction of a dedicated, two-lane, signal-free corridor with 9.6–10.4 meter-wide sections on the ground and in trenches and 22.5 – 23.7 metre-wide at the stations. Moreover, a three-lane carriageway with shoulders on either side of the metro corridor from the Golra Morr Interchange to the GT Road Interchange would be built to ensure the free flow of traffic and turnings along with the construction of flyovers and underpasses on existing roads and allied works.
(C) Express Tribune
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