Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus

Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus
راولپنڈی اسلام آباد میٹرو بس
Overview
Owner Government of Punjab
Locale Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan
Islamabad, Capital Territory, Pakistan
Transit type Bus rapid transit (BRT)
Number of lines 1
Number of stations 24
Daily ridership 100,558[1]
Website www.metrori.pk
Operation
Began operation 4 June 2015
Operator(s) Punjab Metrobus Authority
Number of vehicles 68
Technical
System length 22.5 km (14.0 mi)

The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus (Urdu: راولپنڈی اسلام آباد میٹرو بس‎) (also called Pakistan Metrobus or Islamabad Metro/Pindi Metro) is a 22.5 km (14.0 mi) BRT system that serves the Islamabad Rawalpindi metropolitan area in Pakistan. It uses dedicated bus lanes for all of its route covering 24 bus stations. It was inaugurated on 4 June 2015 by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif becoming the second fully functional BRT service in Pakistan after the great success of the BRTS in Lahore.

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.

Background

Rawalpindi is the fourth largest and one of the fastest growing cities in the country. It is situated in the Northern most part of the Potohar Plateau in North Punjab. Since Rawalpindi is the headquarters for the Armed Forces of Pakistan and its amalgamation with its twin city Islamabad, the population of Rawalpindi has increased rapidly over the past few decades.

Islamabad's population has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.30 million in 2012 and continues to be the fastest growing large city of Pakistan. Since its foundation, Islamabad has attracted people from all over Pakistan, making it one of the most cosmopolitan and urbanized cities of Pakistan and center of economic and service activities. Together The greater Rawalpindi/Islamabad Metropolitan Area is the third largest urban amalgamation in Pakistan with an estimated population of 4.5 million inhabitants. The twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are growing at a rate of more than 4 percent per anum, indicating a much higher than national growth due to significant migration. With present growth trends it is expected that the population would increase to 7.0 million in twenty years’ time. Since both cities have grown into each other, significant amount of commuting takes place between the two cities.

Benazir Bhutto Road, formerly known as Murree Road is one of the busiest and most preferred link between the twin cities due to its shorter length and direct approach. During the last few years there has been an unprecedented increase in vehicular traffic in the city, especially along Benazir Bhutto Road, resulting in severe traffic congestion on this route. This congestion causes excessive delays, environmental pollution and associated socio-economic problems for the daily commuters. Public transport is one of the major contributors in the traffic mix and the quality of service being provided is of poor standard.

Private transport is the major means of mobility between two cities. It consists of vans and small Suzuki carriers plying on various routes within and between the two cities. There was no organized urban bus transport service operating in the city and between cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Level of service offered by the minibuses is far below any acceptable standard. Traffic volumes of over 210,000 vehicles ply on three major corridors connecting both the cities carrying around 525,000 passengers. It is estimated that public transport demand of around 153,000 passengers is available on daily basis between the two cities. Interestingly, this passenger demand is concentrated around a corridor, which is of high density and strategically located to provide for reasonable patronage for a rapid transit system.

Based on studies conducted by Government of Punjab and Capital Development Authority, the two governments (Federal & Provincial) joined hands to launch a Metro Bus project to connect the twin cities and alleviate the traffic congestion on this corridor. In a meeting held in Lahore on 19 January 2014, co-chaired by the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Chief Minister of Punjab, it was decided that the project shall be funded on 50:50 sharing basis by the Federal Government & Government of the Punjab. As the Punjab Government has already completed successfully a similar Metro Bus project in Lahore, Prime Minister of Pakistan decided that the Provincial Government will execute this project through Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) as the single executing agency for both parts of the project. It will work in close coordination with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for the Islamabad Part of the project. Punjab Metrobus Authority (PMA) will control the operation & maintenance of the project after its completion. PMA will also coordinate with CDA at O&M stage of the project.

Planning and construction

Construction of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus began on 28 February 2014 and was completed by June 2015, with 60 buses initially plying on the route. The Rawalpindi Development Authority is overlooking the project with a cost of approximately Rs 44.31 billion, which will be shared by both the Federal government and the provincial government of Punjab.[2]

The initial date of inauguration was 28 February 2015, which was delayed because of lack of planning for drainage of rainwater and slow rate of work leading to inevitable delays in the construction. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif finally inaugurated the half-a-billion-dollar metro bus service substantially completed project on 4 June 2015. Even after the launch of the metro bus service, the issues regarding the drainage of rainwater still remained unfinished resulting in the inundation of the underground bus stations during monsoon rains. However, it should be noted that the rainfall in the area was above normal throughout the year resulting in greater delay during construction.

Details of Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro Bus Project

Signal Free

The entire length i.e. 8.6 km of Metro Bus corridor in Rawalpindi area is elevated structure whereas about 14 km in Islamabad shall be at-grade but made signal-free by constructing grade separations at various intersections.

Number of Stations

Ten (10) in the Rawalpindi Part and fourteen (14) in the Islamabad Part are provided along the corridor.

Functional Elements

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.

Functional elements at the stations include ticketing booths, concourse level passenger transfer, escalators, platform screen. toliterities, doors turnstiles for automatic fare collection and all other amenities for passenger convenience.

Central Control Room

A central ITS control room is also included in the project to control the whole operation of the Metro Bus system.

Number of Lanes

Initially the provision of a 10 lane Underpass (2 Lanes for Metro Bus and 8 Lanes for mix traffic) along the 9th Avenue was proposed at Peshawar Mor intersection. Later on, in view of the traffic issues at Peshawar Mor intersection, ongoing Widening/Rehabilitation of Kashmir Highway & its link with new Islamabad Airport, it was decided to dovetail the Metro Bus corridor in the interchange already designed by CDA which will cost Rs. 6.75 Billion. The same will be simultaneously executed with Metro Bus Project.

Route

The route is approximately 22.5 km (14.0 mi) in length and has 24 stations. It has a capacity of transporting 150,000 people daily.[3]

Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus

Legend

Secretariat Terminal
Parade Ground Station
Shaheed-e-Millat Station
7th Avenue Station
Stock Exchange Station
PIMS Station
Katchehry Station
Ibn-e-Sina Station
Chaman Road Station
Kashmir Highway Station
Faiz Ahmed Faiz Station
Khayaban-e-Johar Station
Potohar Road Station
IJP Road Station
Faizabad Station
Shamshabad Station
Sixth Road Station
Rehmanabad Station
Chandni Chowk Station
Waris Khan Road Station
Committee Chowk Station
Liaquat Bagh Station
Marrir Chowk Station
Saddar Terminal

Lines

Currently, one line is serviceable with future extension being planned . Government has planned to build two more lines in near future.

Fleet

68 buses ply the route

Companies Contracted To

The metro bus project has been contracted to several companies over a budget of almost 50 billion rupees (around 500 million US Dollars), and will be divided into three main categories, the main bids being given to ZKB, National Logistics Center, And Lemak Reliable Joint Venture.

Whereas, Procurement, Operations and Maintenance of Buses was awarded to a Turkish company Platform (Albayrak Holding).

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hussain, Danish. "Punjab went 'halfsies' on cost, but not on revenue". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "Shahbaz to inaugurate work on Metro Bus Service on Feb 28"
  3. ↑ Metro bus project: Capital’s civic managers cave in to pressure from Punjab govt

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