The Punjab Mass Transit Authority (PMA) has secured financial support for the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) to initiate essential repair work on the metro bus infrastructure. An allocation of Rs. 720 million is reserved to refurbish the elevated road stretching from Saddar to Faiazabad. This venture is imperative for maintaining the operation of the pivotal metro bus service.
The rectification of the 6th Road Metro Bus Station is nearing completion, anticipated to conclude within the next couple of days. General Manager of Operations at PMA, Uzair Shah, confirmed this development, noting that engineers are finalizing checks to resolve an electrical short-circuiting issue.
As per the official discourse, the raw state of the elevated road, forming a segment of the Murree Road, prompts immediate repair. The intervention comes nine years after its original construction; it’s evident that a revamp is due to ensure continued service quality. The metro corridor, in its entirety, crosses 23km, out of which an 8.6km stretch is elevated. Per day, the service accommodates an estimated 150,000 passengers with its fleet of 68 air-conditioned buses.
The segment in Rawalpindi, specifically between Flashman’s Hotel to Faizabad, is elevated — a key focus of the repair. In contrast, the Islamabad section extends 14.6 km over the ground. There are 24 modern stations dotting the track to facilitate passenger travel.
The initial repair phase will target the elevated section between Saddar to Faizabad and is expected to span six months, conditional on the disbursement of funds from the Punjab caretaker government. In anticipation of the disturbances brought by construction, PMA Rawalpindi is committed to ensuring uninterrupted bus services. Drawing from Lahore’s precedent, metro bus operations there cease at 9:00 pm, allotting time for nocturnal repair work, a strategy that might be emulated in Rawalpindi.
This renovation initiative pledges to bolster the metropolitan transit system, an indispensable conduit for the region’s commuters, safeguarding the efficiency and reliability of the metro bus service.