PHC seeks reply from BRT PD, PDA over deficiencies in design

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has sought replies from project director and Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) in a petition over deficiencies in the design of Bust Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Peshawar.

A two-member bench of the PHC comprising Justice Roohul Amin and Justice Naeed Anwar heard the petition.

The petitioner’s lawyer Isa Khan told the court that routes have been set up for pedestrians in some stations in one and half kilometre area in the BRT stations due to which people face difficulties while crossing the road. He said many stations have been established underground and there is no passageway for ambulances. He said the drainage system of the BRT stations is also faulty. He said a lot of problems will be faced due to technical issues in the project. The petitioner’s lawyer said the Asian Development Bank had also rejected the track design of the project.

The court in its remarks said the petition is like rubbing salts to the wounds of the people affected by the project. The court sought replies from the BRT project director, PDA and PWD on faults in the BRT design and adjourned the hearing.

The BRT project in Peshawar was launched during the previous tenure of the PTI government in KP when Pervaiz Khattak was chief minister. Ambitious target of six months was set for completion of the project before the elections, but that did not happen. Now even over one year after the elections and PTI again coming into power with even a bigger mandate, the project remains incomplete.

The PHC recently while hearing another petition on BRT project had observed that seeking the date of completion of the project is like seeking stars in the sky.

After missing several deadlines for completion of the project in Peshawar, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government now hopes to complete the project by end of this year. About 85 percent work has been completed on the main corridor and 65 percent on bus depots.

The main corridor of BRT Peshawar and feeder routes are expected to complete by October 31, while Chamkani depot and Dabgari staging facilities are expected to be complete by end of September. But a lot of work remains in Hayatabad bus depot, which is likely to be completed by March next year which means that this deadline will also be missed.