Peshawar: The completion of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s flagship Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit project is likely to miss its deadline because of frequent design changes and other technicalities, a news source reported. Procedural technicalities have forced authorities to suspend the work in six locations.
The project’s executing agency, Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), has set March 23 as the latest deadline for the launch of the Asian Development Bank-funded bus services, which has been delayed many times in the past.
The government has already revised the cost from PKR 49 billion to PKR 69 billion due to frequent changes to the design. The BRT buses were to ply the track in May as per the original plan.
Sources privy to the development said Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and Pakistan Railways have yet to issue an NOC for the installation of heavy girders and lay new transmission line on Sonehri Masjid Road in cantonment areas, where work has been suspended for four months.
A request for the NOC was submitted to the railways department two months ago and even the due payment has been made for land acquisition, but no action has been taken as of yet. PDA has paid PKR 450 million for land acquisition and using its space at four different locations.
The civic body would have to pay an additional amount of PKR 120 million to the railways department for putting up the elevated track in Karkhano Market near Hayatabad. Overall, PKR 300 million has been paid to the board.
PDA would also pay PKR 1.8 billion to WAPDA, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) for relocating their installations.
