Sindh Transport Minister suggests setting up ADB camp office in Karachi for coordination and resolving issues
Karachi
Provincial Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon has suggested Asian Development Bank to set up a camp office in Karachi to strengthen coordination so as to resolve day to day issues and obstacles in Pakistan’s first Biogas Public Transport Project (BRT Red line project) and the project is completed on time.
The minister floated this proposal in a meeting held at his residence with a high-level delegation of the Asian Development Bank on Tuesday. The Asian Development Bank delegation was headed by Senior Urban Transport Specialist Lloyd Wright, while the delegation included Senior Operations Manager Lisa Jane, Senior Project Officer Shaukat Shafi, Project Coordinator Tahir Sheikh, and Consultant Sadiq Aftab.
Secretary Transport Abdul Haleem Sheikh, Managing Director Sindh Mass Transit Authority Zubair Chana, General Manager Infrastructure Trans Karachi Pir Sajjad and others also attended the meeting.
The meeting reviewed the progress of the ongoing infrastructure development work of the BRT Red Line being carried out with cooperation of Asian Development Bank from Model Colony to Numaish Chowrangi.
The meeting discussed in detail the construction of the bus depot and biogas plant including solutions to the obstacles and problems in the project.
Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the Sindh government takes 100% ownership of the BRT Red Line project. He added that the project is under construction in the densely populated area of Karachi, in which there are installations of many utility agencies, however, the Sindh government is committed to remove all obstacles in the project. The minister said that the Sindh Government is available 24/7 to solve all the administrative problems in the project.
The provincial minister apprised the delegation that Karachi Metropolitan Corporation has handed over the land to Trans Karachi for the construction of a bus depot in AllaDin Park, while the piece of land had been allocated for the construction of a biogas plant in cattle Colony. ‘KMC will soon hand over this land to Trans Karachi,’ the minister assured.
He said that the Sindh government is keen to complete the BRT Red Line project within the stipulated time. After the recent successful projects launched by the Sindh government in the public transport sector, public interest in these projects has increased.
Lloyd Wright, senior urban transport specialist Asian Development Bank pointed out major obstacles in the project, particularly the installation of K-electric. The delegation assured that ADB will continue to extend technical support and cooperation to the government of Sindh transport department for completion of Pakistan’s first environment friendly public transport project. (PR)
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