Pasban Democratic Party PDP Chairman Altaf Shakoor has demanded of the government to accelerate pace of work on the second phase of Green Line from Mazar-e-Quaid to Meriwether Tower so as to facilitate Karachi commuters.
He said public transport system in Karachi has been neglected for decades and the city commuters face a lot of difficulties in traveling. He said the city needs thousands of wide-bodied buses and a vibrant Karachi Circular Railway KCR, but so far the commuters of the mega city are content to travel in overcrowded smoke-emitting minibuses and motorcycle rickshaws. He said by any standard Karachi is the most backward megacity in the world in terms of public transport facilities.
In 2016 former Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif laid the foundation stone of the green line metro bus system. Now it is called Green Line BRT System. However, this important commuting system faced inordinate delays and still its second phase from Numaish to Tower is pending. The snail paces progress on the second phase of Green Line BRT is irking and frustrating the Karachiites and it seems that it would take longer times to get this important scheme completed if the federal and provincial governments failed to give it topmost priority.
Altaf Shakoor said the Orange Line BRT of Sindh government has also been facing prolonged delays; however, new provincial transport minister Sharjeel Memon has announced to complete it soon. He hoped that the government of Sindh would fulfill this promise to win the hearts and minds of Karachiites. He said similarly, Red Lines BRT also needs greater focus of the government so that the megacity’s public transport problems could be mitigated to some extent.
He demanded of the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to give special attention to the Green Line that is the flagship project of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). He said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is well-known for his ability to successfully launch and finish development projects and it is high time that he use his leadership potential to solve the public transport problem of Karachi by expediting the Green Line BRT.
He said similarly Sindj CM Murad Ali Shah is also committed to make Karachi a modern megacity in true letter and spirit. He hoped that the federal and provincial governments would join hands to ensure early completion of the second phase of the Green Line BRT on priority.
