Metro Bus Project-Case study

The Lahore Metrobus is a bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.
The first section, which consists of a 27-kilometres long route and 29 bus stations
between Gajumata to Shahadra was opened by Turkeys Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozda and
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in February 2013.
The route covers dozens of residential and commercial localities along the citys main artery
Ferozepur road, linking together Lytton road, Jain Mandar, MAO College, Lower Mall, Civil
Secretariat, Aiwan-i-Adal, Chowk Katchehry (District Courts), Shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh,
Ravi Road, and Shahdra town. The other routes are over mountain passes. An 8-kilometer section of
the route is elevated.
The system uses e-ticketing and Intelligent Transportation System wand. The system is managed by
the Punjab Metrobus Authority (PMBA) with the IT part is being carried out in coordination with
Punjab IT Board.

History
Lahore Transport Company (LTC) was established in 1984 to ease the traffic conditions
of Lahore and improve bus services. LTC got all the transport responsibilities of traveling in
Lahore in December 2009. A BRTS (Bus rapid transit system) fleet of 650 Buses was introduced.
It was given name " Trans Lahore". However, the BRTS did not have dedicated lanes and had to
share roads with regular traffic with no right of way privileges. This resulted in a system that was
a BRTS only in name.

Planning
After 20 years of discussion, the ambitious and expensive Lahore Metro, which had first been
proposed in 1991 was abandoned in favor of a bus transit system, inspired by the
successful Istanbul Metro bus system. Plans were developed in the last quarter of 2011 by both
local and Turkish experts.

Construction
Construction of the project was divided into different packages and was awarded to different
contractors. M/s Zahir Khan & Brothers in Joint venture with M/s Reliable Engineering Services
(Pvt.) Limited constructed the major part of the Flyover including two elevated rotaries for
BRTS.
Habib Construction Services construct the down ramp to taxali gate of flyover. Construction
project started in March 2012 and buses entered service in February 2013. The system, which
was constructed by the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA), a subsidiary of
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the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) at a cost Rs 29.8 billion. The system was built on
the buildoperatetransfer basis via the collaboration between the Punjab and the Turkish
government.
The system was inaugurated by Punjab, Chief Minister, Mian Shahbaz Sharif on February 11,
2013, in a ceremony attended by Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozda, Prime
Minister and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, as well as ambassadors from a number of other
countries. The Mayor of Istanbul, Kadir Topba, also announced a gift of 100 buses. It is
Pakistan's first bus rapid transit system.

Operation
Lahore MBS currently operates a fleet of 45 buses. A further 19 buses have been imported from
China by late 2013. The buses run on a single 28.7 km long Ferozepur Road corridor with two
other corridors being planned. Buses on the current route have an average speed of 26 km/h.
Following the initiation ceremony, use of the system was to be free during the first month.
However, following a week of chaos and overcrowding, a fare of Rs. 20 (US$ 0.2) was imposed
irrespective of the destination.
According to the Lahore Transport Company, the daily ridership of the Metro bus exceeds
180,000 with the peak hourly ridership being 10,000 passengers per hour per direction (p/h/d).
Studies conducted by the transport company claim that this figure will increase by 222% to
20,000 p/h/d in 2021.

Expansion
During May 2013, the Punjab government received the feasibility study for the Multan Road line
of the system. The study was conducted by the Turkey-based, stanbul Ulam (Istanbul
Transport), which also operates the Istanbul Metro. However, according to Punjab Metrobus
Authority officials. the expansion of the Metrobus services in Lahore seem to be a low priority
for the Punjab government, which is more inclined towards launching similar systems in the rest
of the province.
The Multan Road line would run along the route from Thokar Niaz Beg to MAO College and
will have a predicted, peak hourly ridership of 7,300 p/h/d which will increase to 15,100 p/h/d in
2021.
Meanwhile another route, along the Grand Trunk Road, is also proposed for the Lahore Metrobus
System. This line will begin at Azadi Chowk and end at the Lahore Ring Road, passing through
the Lahore Railway Station and Daroghwala.

Design
The Lahore Metrobus meets the criteria laid out by the Institute for Transportation and
Development Policy. It has barrier-controlled, automated off-board fare collection, a service
interval of less than 2 minutes during peak hours, stations with well-designed signage and
information systems and a precision bus docking system . The terminal approach system
has escalators and underground, subway-styled approach tubes. Due to these approach tubes,
prospective passengers don't have to cross high-speed roads to get to the stations, but go below
them instead, an example of a segregated Right-of-way. The stations have parking spaces for
motorbikes and cycles while the two terminals provide car-parking facilities as well.

Ticketing System
Two types of ticketing systems exist at the Metrobus terminals:

Single-ride tokens that are good for one journey only and can be purchased for Rs. 20
(US$ 0.20) at the on-site ticket booth or the self-service Ticket Vending Machines (TVM).
Metrobus Cards that can be utilized for multiple journeys. These RFID-based cards
are credit-card sized and can be obtained from the ticket-office for a refundable amount of
Rs. 130 (US$ 1.33). These cards can be recharged to a maximum balance of Rs. 1000 (US$
10) at the TVMs. The Metrobus cards remove the hassle of standing in a queue for a token
and card-holders can proceed directly to the terminal.

Route
The route of the bus transit system is as follows:

Gajjumata Terminal
Dulu Khurd Station
Youhanabad Station
Nishtar Colony Station
Atari Saroba Station
Kamahan Station
Chungi Amar Sidhu Station
Ghazi Chowk Station
Qainchi Chowk Station
Ittefaq Hospital Station
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Naseerabad Station
Model Town Station
Kalma Chowk Station
Gaddafi Stadium Station
Canal Road Station
Ichhra Station
Shama Road Station
Qartaba Chowk Station)
Janazgah Station
MAO College Station
Civil Secretariat Station
Kachery Station
Bhatti Chowk Station
Azadi Chowk Station
Timber Market Station
Niazi Chowk Station
Shahdara Terminal

Incidents
Bus driver protest, May 2013
Regular services were briefly stopped on May 24, 2013, as the bus drivers staged a protest at
the Gajjumata terminal against 'poor working conditions'. The drivers were of the view that their
employers weren't treating them right; they were fined for 'minor irregularities' and didn't have
basic facilities like drinking water and a waiting area. The protesters dispersed after the Punjab
Metrobus Authority successful negotiated with them.
Overheating vehicles, May 2013
During late May 2013, the Metrobuses started to develop an over-heating problem as the
temperatures in the city crossed 45C. The air-conditioners gave away and the engines started
blowing fumes. Passengers had to bear sweltering heat in the congested buses as well as constant
stoppages. Punjab Metrobus Authority's public relations officer, Amir Masood, told the media
that when the buses were imported the manufacturers, Sweden-based Volvo and China-based
Sunwin, were told to provide buses that could remain operational in temperatures approaching
51C. When the operation error came to surface, Masood said that the suppliers are being fined
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and the further import of buses from them is halted. To counter the problem, new airconditioning units were fitted in the buses in late June 2013.
Controversies
The Metro Bus Project was controversial. The project was unique in the sense that unlike other
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems, it used steel to create boundaries and to segregate lanes for the
metro buses, which has led to allegations by other political parties on CM Shahbaz Sharif of
manipulating the tendering process in order to create a market for Ittefaq Steel Industry, the
family business of Sharif family. The rival political parties have also termed the awarding of
contracts without the required approval of P & D Department, Punjab as gross violations of
existing laws. The PML-N has denied these allegations.
Related Projects
The Punjab Government, in the development program of 2013-14, proposed similar Metrobus
projects for Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Multan. The Rawalpindi project being given top priority
since it will serve the citizens of, the capital city, Islamabad as well. Rawalpindi-Islamabad
Metrobus Service is under construction and will be completed in January 2015.

Questions
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Why there was need to take permission from P & D department, Punjab regarding tender?
What is the role of metro bus project to full fill peoples need of travel?
What are ethical issues involve in this project?
Does this project helps in development of country?