RAWALPINDI-ISLAMABAD METROBUS SERVICE

SUBMITTED BY: HAMID MAHMOOD

SUBMITTED TO : SIR AJAB KHAN BURQI
DATE:

4TH JULY 2014

RAWALPINDI, ISLAMABAD METRO BUS PROJECT

INTRODUCTION
Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus Service is a of Nawaz Government of transit system of connecting the
twin cities of Islamabad and.Upon completion it will be the second of its kind in Pakistan after
the Lahore Metrobus Service.
The 24 km long Metro Bus Service is costing near Rs. 24 billion which will be shared by the federal and
Punjab governments. The project envisages construction of over 24 km long dedicated signal free
corridor of 9.60-10.10 m width at normal section and 19.00-21.10 m width at Metro Bus System (MBS)
stations and tranches in Islamabad Territory. The proposed corridor will accommodate articulated buses
running simultaneously in both directions.
The system will start from IJ Principal Road at Faizabad, where Rawalpindi portion terminates, and will
traverse through IJ Principal Road, 9th Avenue,Jinnah Avenue and finally terminate at the Pakistan
Secretariat, Islamabad. The Islamabad portion also includes Peshawar Morr Interchange as per CDA
design and a provision for 14 bus stations with allied facilities.
The Express Tribune has reported that the design prepared by the National Engineering Services
Pakistan, the consultant firm for the project, will harm the greenbelts by expanding two major avenues
beyond the permissible limits in violation of the city's master plan.
Rawalpindi Development Authority is executing the project, while it will have the capacity to carry
150,000 people daily.
Construction was inaugurated on February 28, 2014 and its expected to be completed by January 2015,
with 60 air-conditioned buses initially plying on the route.

DESIGN
The Islamabad Corridor of MBS starts from end of Faizabad interchange at IJP Road at this point. It
runs in between at-grade and takes right turn on 9th Avenue. Along Ninth Avenue (Islamabad) crosses
Kashmir Highway and turns to Jinnah Avenue and ends at Civil Secretariat. The total length of MBS
Islamabad will be 13.6 km. The MBS Rawalpindi will be constructed in five packages:

Package I:

Faizabad to Peshawar Modr

4.4 km

Package II: Interchange Peshawar Modr

1.1 km

Package III: Peshawar Modr to Centaurus

2.9 km

Package IV: Centaurus to Shaheed-e-Millat

3.1 km

Package V: Shaheed-e-Millat to Secretariat

2.156 km

The existing environment in and around the project area has been studied with respect to the physical,
biological and socio-economic conditions.
The baseline conditions were studied with respect to physical, biological and socio-economic
environment. The physical environment includes topography, geology and soils, climate, hydrology
and drainage, land use, surface water and quality, groundwater and quality, ambient air quality, noise
levels, floods and seismicity.After analysis it was decided to be built at a height availing the bridge
option rather than on grade ground level.
OBJECTIVE
The overall objective of the proposed project is to augment public transport services in the city with
provision of safe, efficient and comfortable traffic facility to the commuters of the area. The proposed
project will greatly benefit the commuters by providing better quality and environmental friendly public
transport, reducing number of vehicles on the road, thus reducing fuel consumption and consequent air
emissions from vehicular exhaust. Implementation of the project is envisaged having the following
specific objectives:

To facilitate interacity movement of passengers at low cost, high capacity and dedicated lanes to
avoid disruption on the existing flow of traffic;

To provide the public with environmental friendly public transport;

To provide transport safety, transport productivity, travel reliability, travel choices, and social
equity;

To reduce the traffic conflicts/accidents due to reduction in number of vehicles on road;

To help save the travelling time by reduction in traffic congestion;

To reduce the fuel consumption by reducing the demand of private vehicle etc;
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To reduce the, noise and air pollution resulting from vehicular exhaust; and

To provide an opportunity to labourers and skilled/unskilled staff to work in the project area;

The scope of the EIA Study includes environmental assessment of the project including collection and
securitization of data related to physical, biological and socio-economic environment, assessment of
impacts which may be caused by the project activities and mitigation measures for the abatement of
potential environmental impacts along with the estimated budgeted cost of mitigationi.
FUNDING
He added that the Metro Bus would cost Rs 44.31 billion and would run on a track of 22.5 kilometers
with 8.6 kilometers elevated corridors in Rawalpindi and 13.9 kilometers on ground track in Islamabad.
Around Rs 7 billion are being used to construct a modern interchange at Peshawar More.
Islamabad- Government has released a sum of Rs 7.65 billion for the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus
Project.
These funds have been released under federal development budget. Executive Committee of National
Economic Council (ECNEC) has already accorded approval to this project, however approval has not
been obtained from parliament and National Economic Council (NEC). Despite it the amount has been
released. Asif Shekkh spokesman of ministry of planning, development and Reforms said funds will be
allocated for this project in the budget for the fiscal year 2014-15.

EFFECT ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF PAKISTAN

Then here's my opinion on the subject. Although development of the infrastructure helps the economic
situation of a country by giving business a boost and by giving easy access to markets and helping the
common man transportation.
The objective of the bus service is to ease congestion for people commuting between the twin cities on
the daily There's always a gridlock on Islamabad highway, 9th avenue and other link roads between the
twin cities in the wee hours of the morning and in the evening
It's usually working class folks who cannot afford to buy their own cars or bikes. Many such people
actually live in Islamabad, believe it or not. It's a little uncharted territory known as the G sectors.
On subjective point of view without taking into account the thoughts of the people who actually use
public transportation here. Time and time again it's been emphasized how the metro line will not result
in any damages to the trees alongside Jinnah Avenue. This reminds me of how there was a huge uproar
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about preservation of the green belts when they started constructing the 7th and 9th Avenues. Today,
everyone praises them.
The world is changing. Cities grow and need for infrastructural development grows. This is the 3rd
largest metropolitan area in the country with absolutely no organized public transportation for the
common man. Compromises have to be made. Just because a certain clique has the luxury to afford their
own vehicles doesn't mean the rest of the working class can afford the same.
However Islamabad is a political hub and not a business oriented city, cities like Multan and Faisalabad
would have contributed more in the countrys economy and GDP.
The businesses in Rawalpindi May benefit from the Metro Bus.
In the long run building a metro train would have benefited the countrys economy in the long run
because it would have facilitated more people at a low cost and all the heavily populated metropolitan
Cities in the world have tried and tested and effective method of mass transit.

II

EIA OF CONSTRUCTION OF MBS FROM IJP ROAD TO SECRETARIAT, ISLAMABAD

II

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