Karachi’s Yellow BRT Corridor project deferred

ISLAMABAD: In the aftermath of raising some objections by the technical wing, the Planning Commission’s Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Tuesday deferred the approval of World Bank funded Karachi Urban Mobility Project known as Yellow BRT Corridor with estimated cost of Rs61.436 billion.

Now the CDWP asked the authorities concerned to remove technical objections and present it before the forum in its next meeting. With the appointment of Dr Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan as Deputy Chairman Planning Commission (DCPC), the duration of CDWP deliberations increased manifold as the new DCPC deliberated upon all details of projects before granting them clearance to projects having estimated cost of billions of rupees.

“In today’s meeting, it is the wish of officials concerned of the provincial government to refer Karachi Urban Mobility Project to the ECNEC as this forum is expected to meet in next few days on the pretext that it will be approved but keeping in view technical objections it was decided that the project would be cleared in next meeting after removal of all objection by the technical wing,” confirmed top official sources after the meeting.

However, in official press release issued by Ministry of Planning, it was claimed that the project “Karachi Urban Mobility Project (Yellow BRT Corridor)” worth Rs61,436 million was also recommended to ECNEC.

The CDWP also cleared Construction of BRT Red Line Project of Sindh government with estimated cost of Rs78.384 billion. The meeting did not discuss its total cost because the Planning Commission’s technical wing granted its approval for referring it to the ECNEC.

The official statement of Planning Ministry states that the CDWP cleared two projects worth Rs3.33 billion and referred four projects with estimated cost of Rs213.20 billion to Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC).

The CDWP meeting held under the Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr Muhammad Jahanzeb Khan here on Tuesday. Secretary Planning Zafar Hasan, senior officials from federal and provincial governments were also present in the meeting. Projects related to Information Technology, Health, Governance, Physical Planning & Housing and Transport & Communications, were presented in the meeting.

Two projects related to Health were presented in the meeting. First project ‘Sehat Sahulat Programme new name Prime Minister’s National Health Programme (phase 2)” worth Rs31935.005 million was presented which was referred to ECNEC for further approval. The second project of Health was presented by Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination “Establishment of Safe Blood Transfusion service in Islamabad Capital Territory” worth Rs102.857 million. The project was approved by CDWP.

Three projects related to Transport & Communications were presented in the meeting. The first project was “Construction of Peshawar-Torkham Motorway project as part of Khyber Pass Economic Corridor Project” of worth Rs41440.5 million was recommended to ECNEC. The second project “Construction of BRT Red Line Project” worth Rs78384.33 million was also recommended to ECNEC. A project related to Physical Planning & Housing was presented namely “Construction of AJK Legislative Assembly Complex” worth Rs2854.122 million and was approved.