ISLAMABAD: Contrary to the claims of Chairman PTI Imran Khan who says Rawalpindi / Islamabad Metro can be built with just Rs4 billion, the PTI-led KP government has prepared a pre-feasibility study for constructing a metro bus in Peshawar at an astounding cost of Rs51.67 billion.
This pre-feasibility study done by transport department of Planning and Development of KP government has exposed the claims of PTI leadership on the ongoing Metro Bus Project being executed by federal and Punjab governments in Rawalpindi and Islamabad with the estimated cost of Rs47 billion.
The cost of Rawalpindi / Islamabad metro bus project is less than what the KP government has estimated for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) for Peshawar city.
The summary of pre-feasibility study conducted by the KP government, a copy of which is available with The News, reveals that fully elevated Metro Bus project in Peshawar from Chamkani to Hayatabad Complex, having length of 27 kilometer (KM), is projected to cost Rs51.67 billion.
The summary states that the study is a Pre-feasibility study that was completed in four months. The study further recommends conducting a feasibility study that will take one year to complete. The study recommends a full-fledged study.
It further states that Corridor 2 is selected as priority corridor 1 to be operated under the Bus Rapid Transit mode. The route of corridor connects Northern bypass/Motorway interchange/Chamkani on Peshawar-Rawalpindi Road/GT road, Kabul bus terminal, Daewoo bus terminal, Peshawar bus terminal, Frontier College for woman, Cantt railway station, airport road, Peshawar University, Hayatabad Medical Complex.
The study recommends that corridor 6 should also be evaluated as an alternate corridor in the feasibility study. The corridor 6 consists of Chamkani Terminus to Hayatabad Terminus via rail corridor around the airport (length 26.2 Km). The pre-feasibility study recommends Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) for priority corridor.
The study recommends two years for the construction of the corridor. The study gives three options for BRT along with their respective capital costs as follows:
i. At-grade BRT: Capital cost of Rs11.615 billion,
ii. Partially elevated BRT: Rs17.977 billion,
iii. Fully elevated BRT: Rs51.675 billion.
The rates have been calculated as per international practices cited in ADB literature.
The salient features of the Priority Corridor 2 Peshawar Rapid Transit will have route length of 27.2 Km, 32 median stations with single platform, using this service by 223,000 passengers per day.
There will be 61 articulated buses required. The system includes E-ticketing, Depot, Control Centre, CCTV and Security.
The shortcomings of the study also illustrate that the estimated Capital cost of the project for three options are based on similar practices in Pakistan and may further increase. The overall length of the elevated section is not decided; therefore the cost of BRT can increase further.
The rider ship is estimated based on traffic counts at 10 locations. A transport modeling study was not conducted due to which the estimated rider ship may be questioned. The proposed cost of the feasibility study is unreasonably high, it further states.