Pakistan Today reported on Lahore, Pakistan’s state of the first bus rapid transit (BRT): Lahore Metrobus (اہور میٹرو بس). Management remains reluctant to resolve numerous problems its commuters face during travel since inauguration in February 2013. Lahore is the capital city of the Pakistani province of Punjab. It is the second-most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi, and the 32nd-most populous city in the world. The bus service began in early 2013, aimed to facilitate the citizens in modern ways but now, only 4 years later, is replete with issues.
The Punjab government completed this 27-km-long project (16.78-mi) from Gajumata to Shahdara with a cost of around 30 billion rupees ($285.2M USD). At the time of its inauguration, authorities lauded that citizens would be availing a modern facility through the buses; however, the present scenario is entirely different and far from desirable. Finally, after receiving numerous complaints regarding the suffering of commuters—broken stations forcing commuters to find alternate means between stations, uneven pavements leading to slowed commutes, closed escalators, overcrowding, and hot conditions due to poor or broken air conditioning in the buses, Syed Uzair Shah, Operations General Manager-Punjab Masstransit Authority (PMA), said that the authority has decided to take strict action.
Metrobuses have at least 27 stations, 9 of them elevated, and 18 are on the ground. The passengers who have to travel towards Gajumata face a major problem due to the dysfunctional of Muslim Town station. This situation has forced the commuters to get off at Gaddafi Stadium, and then head on to Muslim Town via obtaining a rickshaw—adding more expense. The unavailability of the station also forces those who need to use the Metrobus to reach the Gaddafi Stadium or Kalma Chowk stations.
The track of this service also presents pathetic conditions at different spots. This condition can be witnessed near MAO College Station where the elevated track is highly uneven which reduces the speed of buses. Also, People continue to face problems due to the closure of escalators. Despite the cheap price of the ticket, the majority of the commuters complain during travel through the Metrobus. During rush hours, passengers can be seen stuffed in buses like animals.
Despite having additional funding—a huge subsidy of Rs 2 billion ($19M USD) several months ago—authorities of the metrobus authority seem reluctant to look after the matters regarding maintenance and repair of stations and track.
Uzair said that the Muslim Town Station was closed as the pavement there was getting damaged due to an asphalt road. He added that concrete pavement would soon be constructed at Muslim Town, and later ALL 27 STATIONS will be converted to CONCRETE PAVEMENTS.
Uzair informed that the authority is all set to pose penalty on the previous operating company for failing to keep the buses up to the mark. In May of 2013, metrobuses started to develop an over-heating problem as the temperatures in the city crossed 45°C (113°F), air-conditioners gave way, and the engines started blowing fumes. Passengers had to bear sweltering heat in the congested buses as well as constant stoppages and fumes. Amir Masood, Public Relations Officer-Punjab Metrobus Authority, told the media that when the buses were imported the manufacturers, Sweden-based Volvo and China-based Sunwin, were told to provide buses that could remain operational in temperatures approaching 51°C (123.8°F). Masood said that the suppliers are being fined and the further import of buses from them is halted. To counter the problem, new air-conditioning units were fitted in the buses in late June 2013.
Talking about the poor conditions of elevated tracks, Uzair said that the authority rewarded the repair contract to TEPA, and gave them 9 to 11 months (May 2018-July 2018) for its completion, but asked TEPA to complete the repairing as early as possible.
To read the “Pakistan Today” article, please go to: https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2017/08/29/degraded-service-of-metro-bus-troubling-commuters/
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Other copy from Wikipedia “Lahore Metrobus”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lahore_Metrobus