A team of National Geographic is planned to be sent to the provincial capital of KPK Peshawar to videograph the mega project of BRT (Bus Rapid Transit). This is a big step for the provincial government, National Geographic has a wide audience all over the world and this would help project a positive image of Pakistan in-terms of development and growth.
As per the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) Director General, Israrul Haq Bus Rapid Transit project in Peshawar will be videographed by National Geographic TV as it is the largest project in the history of KPK. The project will cost Rs49.346 billion and it is being built at extraordinary speed at the moment.
He said, “It is also the biggest BRT in Pakistan to-date. Once completed, we would present BRT Peshawar for an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records due to its fast-paced completion.” These are some big aims planned by the provincial government.
He further said that media was not involved in the project earlier as it was in its initial stages. Adding, “Now that we have made headway on the project, the PDA is open to the media and willing to show the progress it had achieved.”
He further revealed that the project will complete by May 20th. “About 9,000 people are working on the project round-the-clock in three shifts. The PDA’s BRT team consists of 250 employees and we have more than 8.000 workers hired by the contractors.”
He informed the media that “the work on BRT started on October 29, 2017, and it is true that a six-month timeline was announced for its completion by April 29. However, changes in design and addition of new features and structures caused some delay. We are also conscious of maintaining the quality of the work.”
As per Israrul Haq, the BRT will have a capacity of transporting 360,000 passengers each day. “It would have 68 kms feeder routes, a bicycle track, a pedestrian track, park and ride facility at Chamkani, Dabgari and Hayatabad and a total of 16 kms of flyovers. In comparison, the BRT Peshawar is 27-kms long with 11 kms distance at grade, 13 kms elevated and 3 kms underpass section and 30 bus stations have additional and unique features and yet it would be completed ahead of all similar projects in Pakistan.”
The comparison between Metro bus and BRT is being drawn since the inception of the idea proposed by KPK government of having its own bus system. All in all, we hope BRT bus brings betterment in the lifestyle for people of KPK without any corruption of any sort.
